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KENTUCKY EQUALITY FEDERATION URGES THE KENTUCKY SENATE TO HEED THE ADVICE OF THE KENTUCKY COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND PROTECT LGBTI PEOPLE FROM DISCRIMINATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Contact: Jordan Palmer, President
(877) KEF-5775 - Ext 5 (office)
With Governor Beshear having
reestablished protections for lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI)
people in Kentucky Government, Kentucky
Equality Federation will be pressing the
General Assembly to make such protections
public law.
"Though we appreciate Governor Beshear
protecting Kentucky's LGBTI population from
discrimination in government, hundreds of
people in the private sector are discriminated
against yearly," stated Kentucky Equality
Federation President Jordan Palmer.
City ordinates are also in place in Covington,
Lexington, and Louisville that prohibit
discrimination against LGBTI people.
"Discrimination often takes place in rural
areas of the Commonwealth," stated Palmer.
"Discriminating against someone because of
their sexual orientation or gender identity is
no different than discriminating against
someone for being Catholic, Mexican, or because
of their age; discrimination is
discrimination."
Since beginning an online complaint system in
2006, Kentucky Equality Federation has received
hundreds of discrimination reports from LGBTI
people in areas of the Commonwealth where it is
not illegal.
"The recent nationwide rallies [including
Lexington and Louisville] indicate a new level
of support for equality and fairness from
constituents; the LGBTI community and our
heterosexual allies are more alert and
engaged," added Palmer. "Smokers are protected
from discrimination, yet people are not
protected for being themselves, the way they
are born. We urge the Kentucky Senate to heed
the recommendation of the Kentucky Commission
of Human Rights and add sexual orientation and
gender identity as a protected
class."
The Kentucky Senate is specifically targeted
because non-discrimination bills routinely pass
the House of Representatives, but not the
Senate.
