Obama's Enforcer Follows Man into Ladies' Room

The federal government has strong-armed Deluxe Financial Services Corp. of Shoreview, Minnesota into an agreement to pay $115,000 and change its company policy to allow men into women's facilities.  As part of the legal action, the Obama administration Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will be following up to ensure the company succumbs fully to the Gay Agenda.

The male employee, after beginning to show up for work in female clothing, complained in part, that Deluxe supervisors and coworkers referred to him using male pronouns.

For background, read President Obama's OSHA Teams Up with EEOC to OK Perverts in Employees'  Restrooms and, by decree, says that the Title VII Gay Agenda Trumps Congress (yielding de facto ENDA) 

Also read All Ladies' Rooms Open to Men in Washington State

And read President Obama Forces Wildest Transgender Agenda on School Children Using Full Force of Federal Government and now Hillary Clinton Promises Even MORE 'Transgender/Gay Rights'

UPDATE 4/2/16: Toilets NOT in Restrooms will be New Design for Transgender Agenda

-- From "Minnesota Company Settles Transgender Discrimination Suit for $115K" posted at Insurance Journal 1/26/16

According to EEOC’s complaint, Britney Austin was assigned the male sex at birth and presented as male when hired by the company. Ms. Austin performed her duties satisfactorily in the company’s Phoenix offices throughout a lengthy tenure. However, after she informed her supervisor that she was transgender and began to present as a woman at work, Deluxe refused to let her use the women’s restroom.

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sex discrimination, including that based on transgender status and gender stereotyping. This includes subjecting an employee to different terms and conditions or a hostile work environment because of sex.

A suit filed by EEOC, EEOC v. Deluxe Financial Services, Inc., sought both monetary and injunctive relief. Britney Austin intervened in the lawsuit and asserted additional claims.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Judge orders company to pay $115,000 to transgender in U.S. sex discrimination case" by Jonah Hicap, Christian Today 1/25/16

Minnesota U.S. District Court Judge Ann Montgomery issued a consent decree on Jan. 20 ordering Deluxe Financial Services Inc. to pay Britney Austin the amount and change its equal employment opportunity policies to prevent unlawful sex discrimination and harassment.

Montgomery also told the company to issue a letter of reference for future employers, change its national health benefits plan to delete any partial exclusion for health care based on transgender status and provide an annual report to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which filed the lawsuit on behalf of the complainant.

The company issued a letter of apology, which states, "We want to ensure you that we have made changes to our internal policies, including how we treat transgender employees' requests to change biographical information or use a restroom commensurate with their gender identity."

"The company has changed its policies to ensure that transgender employees may use a restroom commensurate with their gender identity, that the company will promptly correct that employee's sex designation and name in our internal records and systems, and that we will take hostile comments based on sex- stereotyping seriously, investigate them, and take prompt corrective and remedial action," the letter read.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Deluxe Financial to Settle Sex Discrimination Suit on Behalf of Transgender Employee" by U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), posted at JD Supra 1/22/2016

In addition to requiring that Deluxe pay monetary damages to Ms. Austin, a three-year consent decree provides that Deluxe will issue a letter of apology to Ms. Austin and a letter of reference for future employers. The consent decree also provides that, as of January 1, 2016, Deluxe's national health benefits plan will not include any partial or categorical exclusion for otherwise medically necessary care based on transgender status.

"This settlement underscores EEOC's commitment to securing the rights of transgender individuals under Title VII in the federal courts," said EEOC General Counsel David Lopez. "This is our second such resolution and we hope that employers will take notice and begin to take proactive steps to prevent and eliminate discrimination against their transgender workers."

This is the third lawsuit filed by EEOC alleging discrimination on the basis of transgender status. In April, 2015, a Florida eye clinic paid $150,000 to settle an EEOC lawsuit seeking relief for an employee who had been transitioning from male to female. EEOC also filed suit seeking relief for an employee of a Detroit area funeral home fired for transitioning from male to female, which is still pending.

Acting [EEOC] District Director Elizabeth Cadle added, "EEOC considers protecting transgender, lesbian, gay, and bisexual employees to be a strategic enforcement priority. We will continue to assure that transgender employees receive the full benefit of federal anti-discrimination laws in all industries."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Minn. Co., EEOC Settle Transgender Discrimination Suit" by Kat Greene, Law360 1/20/16

Austin wasn’t allowed to use the women’s restroom and co-workers used hurtful epithets and intentionally used the wrong gender pronouns to refer to her, the EEOC said in a June complaint. The company denies having created or subjected Austin to a hostile workplace, and said it’s “fully committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful workplace,” according to the order.

“In the interest of resolving this matter, to avoid further cost of litigation, and as a result of having engaged in comprehensive settlement negotiations, the parties have agreed that this action should be resolved by entry of this decree,” Judge Montgomery wrote in Wednesday’s order.

The EEOC is represented in-house by Laurie A Vasichek, Iris Halpern and Michael H. Imdiecke. Austin is represented by Jillian T. Weiss and Ezra Young.

Deluxe is represented by Angela Beranek Brandt and David M. Wilk of Larson King LLP.

The case is Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Deluxe Financial Services Inc., case number 0:15-cv-02646, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Transgender Roadmap: 10 Steps The EEOC Thinks Employers Should Take" by Robin E. Shea, JD Supra Business Advisor 1/23/2016

1) Include gender identity in your non-discrimination and no-harassment policies. If you’re a federal contractor, you should have done this a long time ago. If you’re not, then you should seriously consider adding it now.

2) Make sure your policies provide that discrimination against or harassment of individuals because of their transgender (and related) status will not be tolerated, whether the behavior comes from “employees, customers, agents, contractors, sub-contractors, clients,” or anyone else.

3) Make sure that employees understand that deliberately referring to a transgendered person by his or her “biological” gender, or by his or her original name, is considered discrimination and harassment by the EEOC.

. . .

5) A transgendered employee should be allowed to use the restroom “commensurate with their gender identity” without any limitations. Again, the EEOC’s position is that the employer may not ask for the medical records of the transgendered employee, or otherwise probe into his or her medical details before doing so. (This means an employer cannot make the employee wait to change restrooms until after he or she has had gender-reassignment surgery.)

. . .

7) The employer should conduct annual training for rank-and-file employees that includes discrimination based on gender identity, sex stereotyping, and gender dysphoria, and should penalize any employee who fails to complete the training on an annual basis.

To read the entire article above, and all ten steps, CLICK HERE.

Also read Transgenderism is a 'Delusion' According to Victims and Professionals

Wash. School Coach Fired for Praying After Games

After a recent football game, Bremerton (Washington) High School assistant coach Joe Kennedy was praying on the 50-yard line at Silverdale Stadium when his job was unexpectedly threatened by an unknown critic who approached him, according to Bremerton athletic director Jeff Barton.  Now, the Bremerton School District is investigating for illicit praying on school grounds.

"I never asked anyone [to pray].  They just all showed up one day and the next thing I know, the other team was showing up with us."
-- Coach Joe Kennedy

UPDATE 12/15/15: Coach Kennedy Files Federal Complaint after School Dismisses Him (read latest articles below)

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Mississippi Teacher Prayers for Students Illegal, Atheists Say

Atheists Threaten Georgia School for 'Football Baptisms'

Arizona Schools Ban Christian Football Coaches

Atheists Call for Ban of Christians from Schools in Michigan, West Virginia, Oklahoma, California, Florida, Ohio, etc.

California School Bans Books by Christian Authors

Colorado School Bans Jesus Talk During Free Time

Atheists Say Too Many Christians at Ohio School

And read Texas School Supt. Tells Atheists to Go Fly a Kite



-- From "Bremerton football coach investigated for post-game prayers" by Drew Mikkelsen and Heather Graf, KING-TV5 (Seattle, WA) 9/14/15

It's not yet clear what promoted the district investigation, but many in the stands at Monday's game assumed it came as the result of a complaint or concern about the separation of church and state.

Parents in the stands on Monday told KING 5 they've watched Kennedy pray after every game for years.  Some didn't seem to understand why it's all of a sudden become an issue.

The prayer Kennedy prayed after Monday's game lasted only about 13 seconds.

"I spent 20 years in the Marine Corps, and it's been about protecting the freedom of other people," [Coach Kennedy] said.  "It's about the freedom, and people can believe whatever they want.  I'm just exercising my right.  The game is over, and I just thank god for every one of these young men that are out here."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Why is there NO outcry from atheists about overt indoctrination of Islam in public schools?

UPDATE 12/15/15: Bremerton coach explains why he’s filed a discrimination complaint against the school district (video:)


UPDATE 12/15/15: From "Coach Kennedy files official complaint against Bremerton School District" by Chris Henry, Kitsap Sun

Kennedy, an assistant football coach at Bremerton High School, was put on paid leave Oct. 28, just before a playoff game, for defying the district’s ban against prayer on the field.

On Tuesday, Kennedy said the district has declined to renew his contract.

Mike Berry, Kennedy’s attorney with the Liberty Institute, said Kennedy’s complaint with the EEOC [Equal Employment Opportunity Commission], a federal agency, stems from the district’s prohibiting his “private” religious expression. The district has said that Kennedy is on duty until players are dismissed and that federal law and district policy prohibit school employees from engaging in religious activities with students present.

Berry said the district also discriminated when it barred Kennedy from games by putting him on paid leave. Berry said the nonrenewal of his contract was “retaliatory.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

UPDATE 12/15/15: From "High school football coach sues over suspension for Tebowing" by Reuters

Kennedy wrote in his complaint that Bremerton School District “violated my rights to free exercise of religion and free speech by prohibiting my private religious expression and taking adverse employment action against me on the basis of my religion.”

The district has said the law requires its employees to neither endorse nor discourage student-led prayer, and that a coach praying might impose “a degree of coercion” over students.

“It’s my constitutional right to do this,” he told Reuters last month, invoking the freedom of speech afforded by the First Amendment. “It’s part of me, it’s who I am. I am not going to hide my faith.”

His complaint, which can open a mediation process, is required by the commission before a person can file a job discrimination lawsuit against an employer.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Obama's Gay Agenda Trumps Congress—Employment/ENDA

This week, President Obama's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) discovered groundbreaking new "gay rights" under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by reinterpreting "sex discrimination" provisions to enact a de facto Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) that Congress, including Democrats, has refused to pass for decades.  Thus, as quickly as activist courts can carry out this Obama precedent, virtually every sexual deviancy will be guaranteed in the workplace, including a cross-dressing man who suddenly shows up in a dress, could not be fired, not even from a Christian school.

President Obama "will have accomplished what more than 40 years of legislative advocacy in Congress could not: full protection of gay men and lesbians from job discrimination throughout the United States."
-- Dale Carpenter, Distinguished University Teaching Professor and Earl R. Larson Professor of Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Law at the University of Minnesota Law School

UPDATE 1/28/16: President Obama's Enforcer Strong-arms Employer into Compliance of Gay Agenda

For background, read how President Obama ordered ENDA unilaterally a year ago with NO religious exemption.

UPDATE 9/29/15 - President Obama Speech: Gay Agenda Trumps Constitution

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

Vice President Biden Says 'Gay Rights' Trump Religious Beliefs

President Obama's OSHA Teams Up with EEOC: Perverts OKd in Employees' Restrooms

President Obama's Eric Holder Creates Law for Transgenders

Also read about President Obama's Sexually Confused White House Appointees

And read how the Gay Agenda attacks Christians one town at a time across America because the homosexualists have been unable to force the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) through Congress.

-- From "Discrimination Against LGBT Workers Is Illegal, Commission Rules" by Charlotte Alter, Time Magazine 7/17/15

In a decision dated Thursday, the EEOC said that employers who discriminate against LGBT workers are violating Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employment discrimination “based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.”

In the past, courts have ruled that Title VII does not cover discrimination based on sexual orientation because it’s not explicitly mentioned in the law, but the EEOC’s ruling disputes that reasoning. . . .

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission also argued this week that since courts have consistently ruled that the racial protections of Title VII apply to relationships, the sex protections should apply to relationships as well. Under Title VII, employers can’t discriminate against employees based on the races of their spouses or friends (so, for example, you couldn’t be fired for being in an interracial marriage). The EEOC’s Thursday ruling ensures that the same standard applies to sex as well, which means you can’t be fired based on whom you choose to date or marry.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was created to enforce and implement the 1964 Civil Rights Act. This new interpretation radically expands the scope of those protections.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Federal sex discrimination laws protect LGBT workers too, says employment commission" by Lydia Wheeler, The Hill 7/17/15

In its opinion, following a 3-2 vote, the EEOC said " 'sexual orientation' as a concept cannot be defined or understood without reference to sex," The Washington Post reported.

The final ruling, which stems from a complaint filed in 2012 by a man who claimed he was denied a job because he is gay, constitutes the EEOC’s official interpretations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the primary statute governing employment discrimination claims against both public and private employers that will guide future EEOC enforcement of federal nondiscrimination laws.

Freedom for All Americans, the organization pushing for such protections at the state and federal level, said the EEOC’s decision highlights the need for a comprehensive federal law.

“Comprehensive nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people are strongly supported by Americans from all walks of life. We’ll continue working to ensure our laws at the municipal, state and federal level recognize that LGBT Americans deserve to live free from the fear of discrimination."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Gay Worker Discrimination" by  Claire Zillman, Fortune Magazine 7/17/15

The defenses employers can use to fire workers because of their sexual orientation are slowly crumbling.  Another blow to sexual orientation bias came this week . . .

The [EEOC] commission delivered the decision in the case of a supervisory air traffic control specialist employed by the Federal Aviation Administration in Miami who claimed he was passed over for a permanent position as a front line manager because he is gay. The air traffic control specialist said his supervisor, who was involved in the manager selection process, had made derogatory comments about the complainant’s male partner.

In allowing the complainant’s case to move forward, the five-member EEOC ruled 3-2 that while sexual orientation is not explicitly listed in the Title VII as a prohibited basis for employment decisions, the question is whether an employer relies on sex-based considerations or takes gender into account when hiring, firing, or promoting.

. . . The commission issued a ruling similar to this week’s in 2012 when it determined that gender identity bias is prohibited by Title VII’s ban on sex discrimination. . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "U.S. Agency Rules for Gays in Workplace Discrimination" by Noam Scheiber, New York Times 7/17/15

The commission did not widely publicize the ruling, dated Wednesday, but it quickly drew attention among advocacy groups and legal experts. “Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is premised on sex-based preferences, assumptions, expectations, stereotypes or norms,” the document stated. “‘Sexual orientation’ as a concept cannot be defined or understood without reference to sex.”

Though the ruling does not formally bind federal courts, the courts frequently defer to federal agencies when they interpret laws that come under their jurisdiction.

“In an area of law where we’re seeing rapid change, courts may well be interested in what the lead anti-discrimination agency has to say,” said Helen Norton, a professor at the University of Colorado Law School. “Courts wrestling with this question don’t have to feel that they’re first. There’s a government agency with expertise in anti-discrimination law that has taken this position.”

Several legal experts said the power of the ruling was that it simplified the legal standard for plaintiffs alleging discrimination.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "EEOC: Federal law bans workplace bias against gays, lesbians, bisexuals" by Curtis Tate, Miami Herald 7/16/15

The ruling partly accomplishes what gay rights groups have sought for years to achieve in Congress, where the federal Employment Nondiscrimination Act has languished for more than two decades. In November 2013, the Senate approved the law with 64 votes, including 10 Republicans.

James Esseks, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s LGBT project, called the EEOC ruling “a monumental step forward” that would provide protection to millions of Americans.

But Esseks added that courts couldn’t be expected to interpret the ruling consistently and that a comprehensive federal law was still needed.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Anti-gay discrimination is sex discrimination, says the EEOC" by Dale Carpenter, University of Minnesota Law School (Washington Post) 7/16/15

The Supreme Court may not think bans on gay marriage are sex discrimination, but the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission thinks anti-gay discrimination in the workplace is. The EEOC, in a 3-2 vote, has concluded that Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act forbids sexual orientation discrimination on the job because it’s a form “sex” discrimination, which is explicitly forbidden. The opinion is 17 pages long, although the portion dealing with anti-gay employment discrimination is only pp. 5-14. The opinion follows by three years a decision from the EEOC that discrimination based on gender identity is also sex discrimination. That ruling on transgender employment rights has been broadly accepted by the federal courts.

The EEOC’s view on sexual orientation, however, runs counter to the rulings of several circuit courts. These courts have reasoned that “sexual orientation” is not among the list of prohibited bases for employment action, that Congress did not intend to eliminate anti-gay discrimination when it enacted Title VII, and that Congress has repeatedly refused to add “sexual orientation” to employment protections.

The EEOC calls these earlier circuit court decisions “dated” . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Advocacy Groups React to Federal Ruling on LGBT Employment Protections" by Dave Mistich, West Virginia Public Broadcasting 7/17/15

In regards to Thursday's decision, a similar ruling was handed down in 2012, when the EEOC determined that transgender workers were protected from discrimination.

Jennifer Meinig, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia, called the ruling groundbreaking but said protections are also needed on the state level. According to Buzzfeed, the commission ruled that gender identity-based discrimination is barred by the sex discrimination ban.

“This is a significant development because protections for gay and transgender people are almost nonexistent in federal law and in 28 states, including West Virginia,” Meinig said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

What about employment protections for Christians?  (Click headlines below)

'Gay Marriage' = Christians Lose Jobs in North Carolina

Atlanta Fires Fire Chief for 'Anti-gay' Bible Study

Utah Cop Punished for Refusing Homosexual Celebration Duty

Iowa Christian Newspaper Editor, Fired over Gay Agenda Critique

Homosexualists Force Pro-marriage Internet CEO Resignation

Christian Sports Commentator Fired for Supporting Natural Marriage

D.C. University Suspends Christian for Defending Marriage

California University Fires Scientist for Being Christian

San Antonio Gay Agenda Ordinance Bans Christian Workers

Obama's Sexually Confused White House Appointees

As President Obama declares June LGBT Pride Month, he appoints attorney Shannon Minter, a woman born in 1961 who has pretended to be a man for over 25 years, to the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships to "tackle the important challenges facing America."  Minter argued against natural marriage before the California Supreme Court in 2009 and celebrates the opening of employee restrooms and showers to perverts by this month's mandate by Obama's Department of Labor.

Minter, who has been "married" to a woman since 2001 and has a step daughter, obviously still has XX (female) chromosomes.

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

President Obama Floods Gay Agenda with Taxpayers' Money

ObamaNation: Homosexual Victory 'Pride Parades'

President Obama's Cross-dressing Military Fantasy is Reality

Confirmed: Obama = Liar in Chief RE 'Gay Marriage'

Mrs. Obama Thanks Hollywood for Gay Indoctrination

President Obama Focuses Government on the One Percenters of America -- the Homosexuals

Most importantly, read Transgenderism is a 'Delusion' According to Victim

-- From "Obama Appoints Transgender Attorney Shannon Minter To White House Commission" by Jennifer Bendery, Huffington Post 6/8/15

Minter, who is the legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights [NCLR], has been lead counsel in a number of legal wins for the LGBT community. He gained national attention in 2001 when he represented the lesbian partner of Diane Whipple in a wrongful death case stemming from a dog mauling. That case resulted in a landmark decision in California that extended tort claims to same-sex domestic partners.

The Commission on White House Fellowships interviews and then recommends people to the president for appointment as White House Fellows, who typically spend a year as full-time, paid assistants to senior White House staff.

Minter is one of a number of transgender appointees in the Obama administration. Others include Amanda Simpson and Shawn Skelly at the Defense Department and Jay Davis at the Environmental Protection Agency.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Shannon Minter, attorney in Miami-Dade same-sex marriage case, gets presidential appointment" by Steve Rothaus, Miami Herald 6/8/15

Minter was one of the lead attorneys for six gay and lesbian couples and Equality Florida Institute in the 2014 lawsuit that helped lead to same-sex marriage in Florida. The couples who successfully sued Miami-Dade County Clerk Harvey Ruvin for marriage licenses: Catherina Pareto and Karla Arguello; Dr. Juan Carlos Rodriguez and David Price; Vanessa and Melanie Alenier; Todd and Jeff Delmay; Summer Greene and Pamela Faerber; and Don Price Johnston and Jorge Isaias Diaz.

“We wanted folks who could just be representative of the community and who were in different life situations,” Minter, a transgender man, told the Miami Herald in January 2014. “One of our couples is dealing with aging issues. We wanted to show couples raising children. One of our couples has grandchildren. They work in all different fields. They’re culturally diverse.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "EEOC Sends Message to Private Sector On Transgender Workers' Restroom Rights" by Patrick Dorrian, Daily Labor Report, Bloomberg Bureau of National Affairs 6/10/15

Private sector employers that don't respect a transgender worker's choice of restroom to use run the risk of claims and potential liability under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, employment lawyers and advocates told Bloomberg BNA in a series of interviews.

Shannon Minter of the National Center for Lesbian Rights in San Francisco told Bloomberg BNA June 2 that, up until now, the denial of restroom rights “has probably been the most common problem” his organization “has been contacted about” by transgender workers.

[Minter] believes employers are starting to understand the issue [that] recent workplace developments regarding LGBT employees will continue to raise employer awareness and recognition of transgender workers' restroom rights.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

. . . in related news:

From "7 Homosexual U.S. Ambassadors: Trade Deals Should Advance LGBTI Rights" by Patrick Goodenough, CNSNews.com 6/10/15:

The seven, joined by the State Department’s first “special envoy for LGBTI persons,” Randy Berry, signed a joint letter published Tuesday in the national gay and lesbian news magazine The Advocate, and re-posted by the White House.

The seven joining Berry are Ambassador to Dominican Republic James Brewster, Ambassador to Spain James Costos, Ambassador to Denmark Rufus Gifford, Ambassador to Australia John Berry, Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius, Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Daniel Baer, and Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Robert Holleyman.

“As the seven openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex U.S. Ambassadors and the Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons, this approach is particularly important to us.”

The signatories said they were proud to be part of an administration “deeply committed” to advancing the human rights of LGBTI people, citing President Obama’s recent comment – in a statement marking International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia – that “all people deserve to live free from fear, violence, and discrimination, regardless of who they are or whom they love.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Kindergartners Taught Sex Change in Maine School

And read Obama Top Homosexual Arrested for Anal Sex with Boy

Perverts OKd in Employees' Restrooms: Obama's OSHA

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is warning all employers this week to open all restrooms, showers, etc. to all employees regardless of sex (chromosomes).  The Obama administration Department of Labor teamed up with Gay Agenda activists to write these latest "physical safety" standards, so that each employee may choose facilities labeled for men or women (or whatever); such choice needn't be based on any formal documentation of "gender identity" (e.g. sex change) of any kind.

“Regardless of the physical layout of a worksite, all employers need to find solutions that are safe and convenient and respect transgender employees.”
-- OSHA

“I believe I'm a woman today,” said the burly guy following the buxom blonde into the ladies room.

UPDATE 1/28/16: President Obama's Enforcer Strong-arms Employer into Compliance of Gay Agenda

UPDATE 4/2/16: Toilets NOT in Restrooms will be New Design for Transgender Agenda

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

President Obama's DOJ (Eric Holder) Creates Law for Transgenders

President Obama's DOJ Forces Girl into Boys Locker Room

Supreme Court Opens Girl's Room to Grown Men in Maine

Minnesota & California OK Boys on Girls' School Teams, in Showers

Naked Man in Girls Locker Room OKd in Washington

Michigan Fitness Club Favors Transgenders in Ladies Room

Also read President Obama Floods Gay Agenda with Taxpayers' Money

-- From "OSHA issues guidance on transgender bathroom access" by Lydia Wheeler, The Hill 6/1/15

The National Center for Transgender Equality requested OSHA develop the 4-page “Guide to Restroom Access for Transgender Workers” to ensure transgender employees are able to work in a manner that is consistent with how they live the rest of their daily lives.

In describing best practices, OSHA said many companies have implemented written policies to ensure that all employees have prompt access to appropriate sanitary facilities and are given additional options, including use of a single-occupancy gender-neutral or unisex facility or use of multiple-occupant, gender-neutral restroom facility with lockable single-occupant stalls.

In its guidance, OSHA also lists federal, state and local laws that reaffirm the principle of providing employees with access to restroom facilities based on gender identification.

OSHA’s new guidance comes on the same day Vanity Fair magazine featured "Keeping up with the Kardashians" start and former Olympian Bruce Jenner as a trans woman in the cover story, “Call me Caitlyn.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "OSHA Issues Restroom Guidance For Transgender Employees" by Y. Peter Kang, Law360.com 6/1/15

In the guide for employers, OSHA said that, for example, a transgender woman, though designated male at birth, should be allowed to use the women’s restroom if she identifies as female.

The guide, titled “A Guide to Restroom Access for Transgender Workers,” states that making transgender employees use bathrooms inconsistent with their identity or forcing them to use gender-neutral or other specific bathrooms segregated from other employees “singles those employees out and may make them fear for their physical safety.”

For their part, attorneys have suggested that employers should allow for everyone to use the restroom in accordance with their gender identity in order to stay out of the EEOC’s crosshairs.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Men's or Women's? OSHA: Permit Workers to Use Restroom of Their 'Gender Identity'" by Susan Jones, CNSNews.com 6/4/15

. . . the [OSHA] guide outlines the "core principle" that "all employees," including transgender employees, "should be permitted to use the facilities that correspond with their gender identity.

"For example, a person who identifies as a man should be permitted to use men’s restrooms, and a person who identifies as a woman should be permitted to use women’s restrooms. The employee should determine the most appropriate and safest option for him- or herself."

If co-workers don't like it, tough: OSHA points to an April 2015 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission [EEOC] ruling, which said "a transgender employee cannot be denied access to the common restrooms used by other employees of the same gender identity, regardless of whether that employee has had any medical procedure or whether other employees’ may have negative reactions to allowing the employee to do so."

"Under these best practices, employees are not asked to provide any medical or legal documentation of their gender identity in order to have access to gender-appropriate facilities. In addition, no employee should be required to use a segregated (gender-neutral) facility apart from other employees because of their gender identity or transgender status."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

UPDATE 6/10/15: From "EEOC Sends Message to Private Sector On Transgender Workers' Restroom Rights" by Patrick Dorrian, Daily Labor Report, Bloomberg Bureau of National Affairs

Private sector employers that don't respect a transgender worker's choice of restroom to use run the risk of claims and potential liability under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, employment lawyers and advocates told Bloomberg BNA in a series of interviews.

They said the risk exists even though there's disagreement over whether federal courts will embrace the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's April 1 decision in Lusardi v. McHugh, EEOC, No. 0120133395, 4/1/15, when interpreting the workplace rights of transgender private sector employees.

In Lusardi, a case involving a government employee, the EEOC held for the first time that a male-to-female transgender woman faced illegal sex discrimination under Title VII when she was told her use of a common women's restroom was making co-workers uncomfortable and to use a unisex bathroom instead.

Title VII doesn't contain an express prohibition against discrimination based on gender identity, but the EEOC told Bloomberg BNA in a statement June 4 that its investigators will rely on Lusardi when making reasonable cause findings in the private sector and when pursuing private sector litigation in federal court.

As if to prove the point, the agency June 4 sued a Minnesota financial services company under Title VII on behalf of a transgender woman, challenging the employer's alleged companywide policy or practice of precluding transgender female employees from using the restroom consistent with their sex (EEOC v. Deluxe Fin. Servs., Inc., D. Minn., No. 0:15-cv-02646, complaint filed 6/4/15).

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read President Obama Forces Gay Agenda on Schools via Taxpayer$$

UPDATE 6/25/15: President Obama's New 'Free' (Transgender) Sexual Mutilation — Gay Agenda

Obama's Eric Holder Creates Law for Transgenders

Having failed to convince Congress to pass new laws forcing employers (including churches and Christian schools) to hire the sexually confused and cross-dressing men, President Obama's attorney general has, by edict, created an unconstitutional de facto Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) for all government employees.

For background, read about President Obama's unilateral action against Christians via ENDA.

Also click headlines below to read previous articles concerning President Obama's Department of Justice (DOJ):

DOJ Forces Employees to Celebrate Sexual Deviancy

DOJ OKs Illegal 'Gay Marriages,' Harms Kids

DOJ Launches Transgender Cop Training

DOJ Tells States to Violate Oath for 'Gay Marriage'

DOJ Forces School Girl into Boys Locker Room

Also read School Doesn't Back Gay Agenda, President Obama's DOE Investigates

And read President Obama's Cross-dressing Military Fantasy is Reality

-- From "US announces protections for transgender workers" by The Associated Press 12/18/14

The Justice Department is now interpreting federal law to explicitly prohibit workplace discrimination against transgender people, according to a memo released Thursday by Attorney General Eric Holder.

That means the Justice Department will be able to bring legal claims on behalf of people who say they've been discriminated against by state and local public employers based on sex identity. In defending lawsuits, the federal government also will no longer take the position that Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act, which bans sex discrimination, does not protect against workplace discrimination on the basis of gender status.

The new position is a reversal in position for the Justice Department, which in 2006 stated that Title VII did not cover discrimination based on transgender status.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "DOJ: Transgender people can’t be discriminated against at work" by Sandhya Somashekhar, Washington Post 12/18/14

The outgoing attorney general said in a memo that it is the Obama administration’s position that workplace discrimination on the basis of gender identity is prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination on the basis of sex.

Holder was criticized by the Family Research Council [FRC], a socially conservative group. Peter Sprigg, senior director for policy studies, said the interpretation was “inconsistent with the original legislative intent” of the Civil Rights Act. “Probably not one person thought they were passing a bill to protect men who wanted to become women or women who wanted to become men,” he said.

In his memo, Holder acknowledged that “Congress may not have had such claims in mind when it enacted Title VII.” But he wrote that “the Supreme Court has made clear that Title VII must be interpreted according to its plain text, noting that ‘statutory prohibitions often go beyond the principal evil to cover reasonably comparable evils.’”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "DOJ: Civil Rights Act Protects Transgender Government Employees" by Ryan J. Reilly, Huffington Post 12/18/14

In a memo, Holder wrote that the "best reading of Title VII's prohibition of sex discrimination is that it encompasses discrimination based on gender identity, including transgender status." Holder said that while Congress "may not have had such claims in mind when it enacted Title VII, the Supreme Court has made clear that Title VII must be interpreted according to its plain text."

In a statement, Holder called the move an “important shift" that "will ensure that the protections of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 are extended to those who suffer discrimination based on gender identity, including transgender status."

The Employment Litigation Section of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division enforces Title VII of the Civil Rights Act against state and local governments. DOJ does not file suit against private employers for discrimination claims.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "DOJ Announces Civil Rights Act Now Applies To Transgender Employees" by Jonah Bennett, Daily Caller 12/18/14

Holder’s memo is part of a broader effort by the Obama administration to be more inclusive and has been seen by some as a substitute for Congress’ failure to pass a version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act which includes protection for sexual orientation and gender identity. However, Holder’s interpretation of Title VII is vastly different than the DOJ’s interpretation under the Bush administration in 2006, which rejected the idea that discrimination applied to transgender status.

DOJ’s Civil Rights Division can now enforce the decision against any state and local governments in the event of non-compliance.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Eric Holder’s Transgendered Mutilation of Title VII" by Ed Whelan, National Review Online 12/19/14

In a fog of wordplay divorced from any plausible account of the original meaning of Title VII, Holder asserts that “Title VII’s prohibition against discrimination ‘because of … sex’ encompasses discrimination founded on sex-based considerations, including discrimination based on an employee’s transitioning to, or identifying as, a different sex altogether.” (Emphasis added.)

Holder’s reference to “a different sex” is badly confused and odd. A man who identifies as a woman—yes, even a man who butchers and drugs himself to appear more like a woman—is still a man. Indeed, when anyone points out this elementary biological reality, transgender activists insist that gender is fundamentally different from sex.

One controversy that long divided advocates of the bill titled the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, was whether the bill’s prohibitions on discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation should be extended to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity. Under Holder’s cross-dressing reading of Title VII, that controversy was pointless because Title VII’s “plain meaning” already bars discrimination based on gender identity. Indeed, if Title VII broadly bars discrimination “founded on sex-based considerations,” I don’t see why Holder isn’t also contending that Title VII’s plain meaning bars discrimination based on sexual orientation. But that may just be the next lawless surprise in the offing.

To read the entire opinion column above, CLICK HERE.

For further background, read how ENDA laws are being used to force Christians "into the closet" and read how "transgender rights" are being forced through public schools nationwide.

Also read Gay Agenda will be Complete when Christians are Muzzled, Say Homosexualists as well as Senator Ted Cruz Says the Gay Agenda Ends Christian Liberty

Fired Homosexual Music Dir. Sues Catholics—Chicago

Colin Collette was fired from his position as music director at Holy Family Catholic Community in suburban Inverness in July because he announced plans to be married to William Nifong.  Then Cardinal Francis George of the Archdiocese of Chicago met with Collette in September to make clear to him that the Church simply cannot employ someone who so publicly violates Catholic tenets, just as Rev. Terence Keehan of Holy Family had told Collette previously.

"I have chosen to enter into a marriage, as is my right under Illinois law, and perhaps I can open the door to other men and women who the church has chosen to exclude from the community. . . . My pursuit now is about change and justice, about acceptance and openness in the church"
-- Colin Collette, broadcasting on local media

For background, read about Pope Francis' strong opposition to same-sex marriage and what he called the Work of the Devil.

Also read of Catholic schools being attacked across America by their own parishioners for firing homosexuals.

And read how the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that President Obama's EEOC cannot veto church hiring and firing decisions.

In addition, read Pastors Face Fines, Jail for Refusing 'Gay Wedding'





-- From "Investigation expected after gay choir director fired from Catholic church files complaint" by Courtney Gousman, WGN-TV9 (Chicago, IL) 12/4/14

Federal and county officials are getting involved in allegations of discrimination, after a Catholic choir director says he was fired for professing plans to marry his gay lover.

The complaint filed Thursday is expected to trigger investigations [by the] EEOC and the Cook County Commission on Human Rights and could make for a landmark lawsuit.

Attorneys believe this case could make it all the way to the Supreme Court.

Right now Collette has taken a job [at] a flower shop and he has yet to marry his longtime partner.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Gay music director files complaint over firing by Catholics" by Dan Hinkel and Lisa Black, Chicago Tribune 12/5/14

Collette's claims were filed with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Cook County Commission on Human Rights, the local body that handles discrimination allegations. A federal discrimination complaint generally has to be filed and reviewed before a person can sue a former employer over alleged discrimination. The EEOC can issue an aggrieved employee a notice of the right to sue the employer or, in rare cases, the agency can sue the employer on the employee's behalf.

Collette's firing upset many parishioners at Holy Family, drawing hundreds of people to a meeting at the church in August. Most who spoke at the event voiced support for Collette, and a church cantor announced his resignation because of Collette's dismissal.

In November, Holy Family announced the hiring of Gene Garcia as the new director of music, according to the church website.

Collette's lawyer, Kerry Lavelle, said negotiations with the church and archdiocese led nowhere. Collette has reached out to Chicago's new archbishop, Blase Cupich, but has received no response, LaVelle said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Gay ex-Holy Family music director files discrimination claims" by Doug T. Graham, Daily Herald (Chicago suburbs) 12/4/14

The complaints name Holy Family's pastor, the Rev. Terence Keehan, and parish manager Rosemary Geisler as parties responsible for the discriminatory firing, according to Lavelle.

Kristina Regal, another attorney for Collette, said Holy Family has 30 days to respond to the allegations. Collette would end the legal proceedings if allowed to return to work at Holy Family or another parish, she said.

"This is the first case that we know about where someone has been terminated for entering into a legal gay marriage, so we're testing new law," [Kristina Regal] said.

Dolores Siok, a member of Holy Family for more than 25 years, said Collette's firing has driven a wedge down the middle of the congregation.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Cardinal meets with gay church employee who was fired" by Meredith Rodriguez and Lisa Black, Chicago Tribune 9/10/14

Colin Collette, who recently was let go from his job at Holy Family Catholic Church in Inverness, said that after he asked for the meeting, [Cardinal] George responded right away.

“I was incredibly grateful to the cardinal for meeting with me. This is an incredibly difficult time for him. ... I was moved beyond words that he would meet with me,” Collette said of George, who is battling cancer. “We prayed together. He was wonderful. He was very pastoral.”

Collette declined to elaborate on the nature of the discussion Tuesday. He said he had sought the meeting in hopes of getting his job back. While there was no indication that would happen, Collette said the cardinal urged him to speak to his pastor.

The Archdiocese of Chicago had said that the meeting would be private and that the cardinal would not comment about it. Holy Family’s pastor, the Rev. Terry Keehan, also did not respond to a request for comment.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Gay Music Director Files Suit After Being Fired From Church Over Engagement" by Mary Ann Ahern, WMAQ-TV5 (Chicago) 12/4/14

Collette said [newly-appointed] Chicago Archbishop Blasé Cupich has not returned his calls.

“We do intend to respond in the appropriate form in which it was filed, and I think that’s probably the best way for us to respond to it,” Cupich said.

"Pastors hire and dismiss all parish personnel and govern according to the teachings of the Church and Archdiocesan policies. This is a matter of personal integrity on their part," the archdiocese said in a statement. "Those that serve as Ministers of the Church, including worship ministers, are expected to conform their lives publicly with the teachings of the Church."

Cardinal George said before his meeting with Collette that it was Collette's decision that "caused this crisis."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Cardinal Francis George's description of the ObamaNation: It's a 'Fake Church'

Cardinal Francis George says homosexual activist church leader HAD to be fired (video):


Also read Gay Agenda will be Complete when Christians are Muzzled, Say Homosexualists as well as Senator Ted Cruz Says the Gay Agenda Ends Christian Liberty

Fired Pregnant Lesbian Sues Mont. Catholic School

Shaela Evenson was artificially impregnated so that she and her lesbian partner, Marilyn Tobin, could birth their first child (which they did on March 7th), but once the Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena, Montana became aware of the pregnancy, Evenson was fired from her teaching position at Butte Central Catholic Schools for breach of contract: not practicing the tenets of the Catholic Church — both at school and in her private life.

For background, read Pennsylvania Catholic School Fires Homosexual Teacher and also read of myriad Christian school firings over immorality issues.

In addition, read California Parents Say: Drop Morals for Catholic School Teachers as well as Gays, Teachers Unions March Against Catholic School Morals



-- From "Teacher Fired for Pregnancy Sues Catholic School" by The Associated Press 8/22/14

Shaela Evenson filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Butte on Thursday, alleging her firing violated federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination based on pregnancy . . .

The lawsuit argues that the school district does not investigate male employees and nonpregnant female employees for compliance with Catholic Church teachings.

Evenson's lawyer, Brian Butler, of Cincinnati, won a $170,000 jury award in a similar case in Ohio (Christa Dias). He said the case made it clear that an employer, even a religious institution, cannot require an employee to give up certain civil rights as a condition of employment.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Teacher fired for pregnancy sues Butte Catholic schools" by Montana Standard staff 8/21/14

As a result of the firing [the lawsuit claims], she has incurred damages including lost wages, benefits and emotional distress. She is asking for back pay, compensatory and punitive damages — and a jury trial.

In the summer of 2013, Evenson, who is not married, became pregnant through artificial insemination, court documents show. The lawsuit says the then superintendent of schools for the diocese, Patrick Haggarty, called Evenson into a meeting on Jan. 9. He told her that he and the bishop of Helena had received an anonymous letter stating she was pregnant and not married — a violation of her contract. He suggested she resign; Evenson refused.

On Sunday, Jan. 12, Haggarty sent a letter to Evenson, by email, saying she was immediately terminated for having a child out of wedlock. The letter, in part, said that she violated school and diocese policies, and moral and religious teachings of the Catholic Church.

Evenson contends she was fired because of her sex and pregnancy.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Pope Francis opposes same-sex marriage and warns of Satanic homosexual behavior

Newspaper Editor, Fired for Being Christian, Sues

The Newton (Iowa) Daily News fired editor Bob Eschliman for writing on a personal blog about attacks on Christianity via the Gay Agenda re-write of God's Word called the "Queen James Bible" whereby homosexualists provide spineless church leaders with fodder to enable acceptance of deviant sexual behavior as being Christian.

“It’s pretty easy to brush off a nonsensical contrived version of the Bible, but that’s not the deceivers’ end goal.  No, they want all Christendom to abandon their faith. They do that by ‘proselytizing’ to church leaders to change their view on homosexuality.”
-- Bob Eschliman, 41-year-old married father of two

UPDATE 6/20/15: Homosexuals Force Closure of Iowa Wedding Chapel

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Corporations Embrace Gay Agenda, With a Vengeance Against Christians

Homosexualists Force Pro-marriage Internet CEO Resignation

Christian Sports Commentator Fired for Supporting Natural Marriage

President Obama's "Justice" Department Forces Sexual Deviancy on Employees

Also read about the Pew Research study proving media bias for the Gay Agenda as well as a University of Iowa journalism professor who says "ignorant Iowa Jesus Freaks" have no business choosing presidential candidates.

Click for local TV news report

-- From "Former editor claims religious discrimination" posted at Newton Daily News 7/24/14

Former Newton Daily News Editor Bob Eschliman filed a complaint Wednesday against the newspaper, claiming he was fired because of his religious beliefs. The paperwork was filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Milwaukee.

Eschliman was fired May 5, less than a week after receiving national media attention for his personal blog addressing the Queen James translation of the Bible.

“I’d like to talk a little bit about deceivers among us, most notably the LGBTQXYZ crowd and the Gaystapo effort to reword the Bible to make their sinful nature ‘right with God,’” he wrote.

He concluded his blog entry with, “If you ask me, it sounds like the Gaystapo is well on its way. We must fight back against the enemy [Satan].”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Editor fired for anti-gay blog files complaint" by The Associated Press, posted at Dubuque Telegraph Herald 7/25/14

The EEOC could order the newspaper's parent company, Shaw Media Inc., to compensate Eschliman with back pay, future pay and exemplary damages. It also could issue him a right to sue letter allowing him to pursue his complaint in federal court.

The newspaper published a column by [Shaw Media President John] Rung on the day it announced Eschliman's firing. In it, Rung said Eschliman's posting did not reflect the opinion of the newspaper or the company. He said Eschliman's public airing of his views "compromised the reputation of this newspaper and his ability to lead it."

Eschliman's attorney, [former U.S. Attorney] Matt Whitaker, said he doesn't believe his client's comments approach hate speech and added that Eschliman was "expressing his deeply held religious beliefs which are mainstream Christian beliefs."

"I just really think this case is a prime example of where religious freedom in our country is under assault and we need to send a strong message," said Whitaker, a Des Moines attorney who also is getting support from the Liberty Institute, a nonprofit legal organization focusing on religious liberty issues.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Editor who used 'gaystapo' claims religious discrimination" by Daniel Finney and William Petroski, Des Moines Register 7/23/14

In late April, Eschliman, 41, a member of Christian Reformed Church of Newton, wrote a personal blog post criticizing the "Queen James Bible," a website that rewrites the Christian Bible to be friendlier to gays. Eschliman accused "the LGBTQXYZ crowd and the Gaystapo" of trying "to make their sinful nature right with God."

Jim Romenesko, who hosts a widely read online blog about the news media, reported on Eschliman's post and questioned whether Eschliman, in light of his publicly stated views, would be able to fairly cover issues involving gays.

Shaw Media, a Dixon, Ill., company, suspended Eschliman with pay and eventually fired him. Eschliman's attorneys claim that violated his constitutional rights of religious expression. Newton Daily News Publisher Dan Goetz declined to comment Wednesday.

"No one should be fired for simply expressing his religious beliefs," Whitaker said. "In America, it is against the law to fire an employee for expressing a religious belief in public. This kind of religious intolerance by an employer has no place in today's welcoming workforce."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Gay Agenda will be Complete when Christians are Muzzled, Say Homosexualists as well as Senator Ted Cruz Says the Gay Agenda Ends Christian Liberty

And read American Decline: Obama's Gay Agenda vs. Christians

Obama, Senate Continue to Push Transgender Privilege - ENDA

In April, President Obama's employment department (EEOC) enacted transgender rights by executive fiat, and this week the Senate's Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) hearing paraded a biological woman living as a man, all in an effort to give special rights, such as allowing cross-dressing men to use the ladies room and teach kids in Christian schools without reprisal.

". . . lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans are first-class citizens."
-- Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Committee Chairman

For background, read Obama's EEOC Commissioner says Homosexual Sex is Morally Good & Wonderful and also read Congressional Definition of the 'Radical Homosexual Agenda' and read about the progression of ENDA (federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act)

UPDATE 11/9/13: Senate passes ENDA, homosexualists look to Obama

UPDATE 5/30/14: President Obama proclaims Hell-bent goal to enact ENDA (see proclamation excerpts below)

UPDATE 7/10/14: Obama Wedged by Religious Homosexualists on ENDA



-- From "Man tells senators transgendered people 'lose their careers'" by Jamie Goldberg, Los Angeles Times 6/12/12

Following a letter from Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Robert Casey (D-Pa.), and Susan Collins (R-Maine), the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions reopened discussion on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a bill that would prohibit nonreligious employers with at least 15 employees from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

While committee chairman Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) expressed a commitment to seeing [Senate Bill 811] move quickly through committee, he could not give any time frame. No Republicans attended what was supposed to be a full committee hearing.

Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and it is illegal in 16 states and the District of Columbia for employers to discriminate on the basis of gender identity.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Transgender Breakthrough" by Chris Geidner, Metro Weekly 4/23/12

An employer who discriminates against an employee or applicant on the basis of the person's gender identity is violating the prohibition on sex discrimination contained in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, according to an opinion issued on April 20 by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The opinion, experts say, could dramatically alter the legal landscape for transgender workers across the nation.

The opinion came in a decision delivered on Monday, April 23, to lawyers for Mia Macy, a transgender woman who claims she was denied employment with the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) after the agency learned of her transition. It also comes on the heels of a growing number of federal appellate and trial courts deciding that gender-identity discrimination constitutes sex discrimination, whether based on Title VII or the constitutional guarantee of equal protection of the laws.

The EEOC decision, issued without objection by the five-member, bipartisan commission, will apply to all EEOC enforcement and litigation activities at the commission and in its 53 field offices throughout the country. It also will be binding on all federal agencies and departments.

. . . after today's ruling transgender people who feel they have faced employment discrimination can go into any of those 53 offices and the EEOC will consider their claims. What's more, the EEOC could take action itself to sue the employer for discrimination.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "DOJ Accepts EEOC Ruling That Trans Bias Is Covered By Title VII, ATF Begins Investigation" by Chris Geidner, Metro Weekly 5/21/12

The ATF Office of Equal Opportunity sent a letter to Macy dated May 18, a copy of which was received today by TLC and reviewed by Metro Weekly, stating that it was accepting for investigation Macy's claims of discrimination "based on gender (female), gender identity, gender stereotype, and or transgender status." Initially, ATF, which is within the Department of Justice, had stated that Macy's gender identity and "transgender status" claims were not able to be brought under Title VII, which led Macy to appeal her complaint to the EEOC, which found that her claims could be brought under Title VII.

Although the ruling from the EEOC is not the same as a definitive Supreme Court ruling on the question of whether transgender people are protected under Title VII's prohibition on sex discrimination, the decision has substantial impact because it is binding on the EEOC, all its field offices and all federal department and agencies. The EEOC's interpretation of Title VII and other civil rights laws are given significant deference by federal courts.

. . . "There's still a lot more steps to go. We still need [the Employment Non-Discrimination Act]. We still need an executive order [to ban federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity]. We still need a hell of a lot of training."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Federal ban on job bias still eludes gay rights groups" by Curtis Tate, McClatchy Newspapers 6/11/12

Gay rights activists have made significant strides in recent years on marriage and military service, but one long-standing policy goal remains elusive: a federal law to ban discrimination against gay workers.

Gays now can serve openly in the military. Gay couples now have some form of legal recognition in 19 states and the District of Columbia. But in 29 states, gay workers can still be fired or denied promotions simply because they're gay.

To be sure, 21 states ban job discrimination based on sexual orientation, and all but five of those prohibit bias based on gender identity. Hundreds of cities and counties across the country have enacted nondiscrimination laws. Federal government employees are protected by a policy that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. And nearly 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies have their own nondiscrimination policies.

But some legal experts say workers and their employers need the kind of legal clarity that only a federal law can provide. . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Senate Dems Take Time to Consider 'Gender Identity' in the Workplace" by Susan Jones, CNSNews.com 6/13/12

According to the Liberty Counsel, if a supervisor told a male employee he could not use the women's restroom, the employer would be in violation of ENDA.

Craig L. Parshall, senior vice president and general counsel for the National Religious Broadcasters Association, was the only witness to warn that ENDA would gut religious liberty. The NRB represents the free speech interests of Christian broadcasters and organizations.

"Requiring discrimination laws to adequately protect and accommodate the religious liberties of faith groups is not a mere legislative prerogative: it is a constitutional mandate," Parshall said in his written testimony.

"It is my opinion that ENDA, as it stands now in the form of S. 811, would impose a substantial unconstitutional burden on religious organizations. Furthermore, it would interfere with their ability to effectively pursue their missions."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

ENDA would equate sexual deviancy rights to civil rights, thus requiring, for example, Christian schools to hire cross-dressing men.

UPDATE 5/30/14: From "Presidential Proclamation -- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transponder Pride Month, 2014" by President Barack Obama, posted at WhiteHouse.gov

Last year, supporters of equality celebrated the Supreme Court's decision to strike down a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act, a ruling which, at long last, gave loving, committed families the respect and legal protections they deserve. In keeping with this decision, my Administration is extending family and spousal benefits -- from immigration benefits to military family benefits -- to legally married same-sex couples.

My Administration proudly stands alongside all those who fight for LGBT rights. Here at home, we have strengthened laws against violence toward LGBT Americans, taken action to prevent bullying and harassment, and prohibited discrimination in housing and hospitals. Despite this progress, LGBT workers in too many States can be fired just because of their sexual orientation or gender identity; I continue to call on the Congress to correct this injustice by passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. . . .

To read the entire proclamation above, CLICK HERE.