Louisiana’s new governor to outlaw anti-LGBT discrimination
Louisiana’s Governor-elect has confirmed that one of his first actions will be to issue an Executive Order outlawing anti-LGBT discrimination.
It is currently legal to fire people for being gay in Louisiana, as there is no federal or state-level law banning anti-LGBT discrimination.
However, that will change under Democratic Governor-elect John Bel Edwards, who succeeds Bobby Jindal as Governor in January.
Jindal is a notorious opponent of LGBT rights, and pledged to void same-sex weddings during his brief ill-fated bid for the Republican Presidential nomination earlier this year.
However, Edwards has announced reforms – and he plans to issue an executive order to protect LGBT people who are state employees and government contractors from discrimination and harassment.
The order would not cover private sector workers other than government contractors, as such an act would require state or federal legislation.
Pro-LGBT group Equality Louisiana said: “Elections have consequences. Our mission to ensure that *all* people in Louisiana have legal protections against discrimination in the workplace continues, but this promised executive action is welcome news for LGBT state employees.
“We look forward to engaging with Gov-elect Edwards’ administration to ensure that appropriate policies are established in a timely manner once he takes office.”
Matthew Patterson, of Equality Louisiana said: “People deserve not to be fired from their jobs because of who they are.”
