VICTORY: Florida Will Protect LGBTQ Civil Rights State Wide

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https://eqfl.org/news/LGBTQ-Civil-Rights-Protected-Florida?emci=c16efc23-a165-eb11-9889-00155d43c992&emdi=96d5294c-5b66-eb11-9889-00155d43c992&ceid=1856764

VICTORY: Florida Will Protect LGBTQ Civil Rights State Wide
State Civil Rights Enforcement Agency Embraces Bostock Ruling

St. Petersburg, FL - In a victory for LGBTQ Floridians, the agency that enforces state civil rights law has affirmed that discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity is illegal. The Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR) has issued a notice formally announcing its intent to fully implement the US Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County and investigate claims of anti-LGBTQ discrimination.

“This is a huge win and cause for celebration statewide. Any LGBTQ person anywhere in Florida who experiences discrimination now has a path to pursue justice,” said Nadine Smith, Executive Director of Equality Florida. “The U.S. Supreme Court declared that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is illegal and the agency that enforces civil rights protections for all Floridians has made it clear they will follow the law of the land.”

The FCHR decision comes in the wake of the landmark Supreme Court decision in June of that held discrimination on the basis of “sex” is inclusive of discrimination based on a person’s sexual orientation and gender identity.

Commissioner Monica Cepero, who made the motion to affirm the Bostock ruling, praised her colleagues for clarifying fundamental protections for the LGBTQ community.

“I couldn’t be more grateful to Governor Ron DeSantis for appointing me to the Florida Commission on Human Relations. It is noteworthy that the FCHR has recognized and embraced the Supreme Court’s 2020 Bostock ruling clarifying fundamental protections for the LGBTQ+ community. In my nearly 30 years of public service, I can’t think of many more significant milestones that I have been honored to be a part of. Discrimination in any form is unacceptable and I’m proud to be a part of a Commission that values equal treatment and has the courage to do the right thing to protect the residents of the State of Florida.”

Support for LGBTQ protections has grown steadily in Florida where more than 60% of the population lives in areas where local protections include sexual orientation and gender identity nondiscrimination provisions. More than 83% of Americans support laws that protect LGBTQ people against discrimination in jobs, public accommodations, and housing. In fact, the Florida Competitive Workforce Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at updating Florida civil rights statute to prohibit discrimination against the LGBTQ community, has been among the most co-sponsored legislation in Tallahassee for three years in a row.