People For the American Way

Put this toolkit to good use and call your Senators today, “pass ENDA now!”

Jen Herrick | October 3, 2013

Update: With meetings in DC and calls coming in from across the country, ENDA supporters are sending a clear message to the Senate: pass ENDA now! It's not too late to join them. Take a look at our just-released toolkit then call your Senators by looking up their contact information or by hitting up the capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. The government may be shut down, but Congress is still on the job, and we need to show them that they need to get back to work not only on the budget but on all of the urgent issues that we care about.

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is civil rights legislation that would make it illegal to fire, refuse to hire, or refuse to promote employees because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Specifically, ENDA would expand current federal employment protections against discrimination – such as those based on race, religion, gender, national origin, age, and disability – to include sexual orientation and gender identity. ENDA would establish uniform protections for LGBT workers across the country, making it clear that employees cannot be mistreated because of who they are or who they love.

First introduced in 1994, ENDA has been introduced in every subsequent session of Congress except one, including its introduction this April by a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House and Senate. Advocates in Congress and on the ground believe that the growing momentum surrounding LGBT equality should help ENDA move forward this year.

To that end, People For the American Way today released Judging Employees by Their Work Performance, Not by Who They Are or Who They Love, a new toolkit that contains talking points, training and materials for lobbying, media tools, and Right Wing Watch opposition research, all designed to help you in calling for Congress to stand on the side of equality.

Click here and here for information about critical allies and other resources. And be sure to check out this new poll about the strong support for ENDA across the country.

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