LGBT+ Organisations Sue The Trump Administration For Allowing Homeless Shelters To Discriminate Against LGBT+ People
Three LGBT+ organisations in the U.S.A. are suing the Trump administration over a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) “Notice of Nonenforcement” which would stop enforcing anti-discrimination protections against federal grantees that discriminate against LGBT+ people, highlighting the negative impact this rule could have for the vulnerable LGBT+community during the coronavirus pandemic.
As ‘LGBTQ Nation’ writes, a few months ago the HHS issued a notice and a new proposed rule to allow organisations to refuse to serve people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and religion. The Trump administration’s comment was that the goal is to “eliminate regulatory burden, including burden on the free exercise of religion”.
In a press release, Family Equality, SAGE, and True Colors United, who have sued HHS with help from Democracy Forward and Lambda Legal, stated that this action “endangers already vulnerable populations, especially as the country confronts the coronavirus pandemic.”
In these times where the slogan for everyday life is to ‘stay home’ this rule can make life for the LGBT+ community much harder during these hard times. Homeless shelters that receive federal grant money could refuse to accept LGBT+ people, home meal delivery programs for the elderly funded with HHS grants could discriminate against LGBT+ elders who are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus and need help more than ever.
“A federally funded adult daycare provider could put a sign on the door saying, ‘No Trans People May Enter,'” the organisations said.
“Now more than ever, we see the critical role that the federal government must play to protect the most vulnerable and at-risk members of society,” said SAGE CEO Michael Adams. “Ensuring that all older people have access to critical aging services and support free from discrimination is vital for the health and well-being of LGBT elders. This is not the time for the Trump administration to eviscerate the rights of LGBT older people.”
The estimated $500 million annually in grant money goes to organisations involved in adoption, foster care, health care, and child care programs.
Read related myGwork articles here:
Trump Administration is Fighting to Make it Legally OK to Fire A Person For Being Transgender
LGBT+ Groups Sue Trump White House Over Discrimination in Healthcare
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