Working in the Shadows-ACLU-LGBT 2007

Working in the Shadows

orking in the Shadows

Working in the Shadows

Ending Employment Discrimination For LGBT Americans

nding Employment Discrimination For LGBT Americans

Ending Employment Discrimination For LGBT Americans

Working in the Shadows:

Ending Employment Discrimination for LGBT Americans

Published September 2007

Deborah J. VaginsACLU Policy Counsel for Civil Rights and Civil LibertiesWashington Legislative Office

Acknowledgements:

The author wishes to thank Joel P. Engardio, ACLU Program Strategist, for his tireless work inter-viewing and documenting the stories of our courageous witnesses, Paul Cates and the staff of theACLU's LGBT Project for their amazing work and unflagging commitment to LGBT rights, KristinaPetronko for her good ideas and keen eyes, and our coalition partners at the Human RightsCampaign and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force for their critical assistance and phenome-nal work on collecting, reviewing and identifying witness. Of course, this report would not havebeen possibleif it had not been for our witnesses bravely stepping forward to tell their stories andto try and make the world a little better for all workers.

THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION

is the nation’s premier guardianof liberty,working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend andpreserve the individual rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution andthe laws of the United States.

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

Nadine Strossen, President Anthony D. Romero, Executive DirectorCaroline Fredrickson, Director, Washington Legislative OfficeRichard Zacks, Treasurer

ACLUNATIONAL OFFICE

125 Broad Street, 18th Fl.New York, NY 10004-2400(212) 549-2500www.aclu.org

ACLUWASHINGTON LEGISLATIVE OFFICE

915 15th Street, NWWashington, DC 20005(202) 675-2325

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Table of Contents

Foreword..................................................iiExecutive Summary................................ivWorkplace Protections and Federal CivilRights Legislation....................................1The Major Provisions of ENDA................3ENDA and Religious Organizations........5The Impact on Workers’ Lives................5Support from the Business Community,the States, and the Public......................8The Need for ENDA: Documenting theHuman Cost............................................10

CALIFORNIA

JaniceDye................................................11Ronald Fanelle........................................12Jacinda Meyer..........................................13Juan Moreno............................................14

DELAWARE

Douglas Marshall-Steele........................14

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Diane Schroer..........................................15

FLORIDA

Robert Jernigan......................................16Susan Stanton..........................................17

INDIANA

Thomas Bryant........................................17Susan Bresson........................................18

IOWA

Kathleen Culhane....................................19

MAINE

Brad Nadeau............................................19

MICHIGAN

John Schumacher....................................20

MISSISSIPPI

Ashley Thomas........................................21

TEXAS

JessicaCraig............................................22J.C...........................................................22AlexGorinsky..........................................23James Quinn............................................24Brooke Waits............................................25

VIRGINIA

Linda Czyzyk............................................25Conclusion..............................................26Endnotes..................................................27