Former HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius: We Can’t Pass The Equality Act Without Big Business

Former Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Seblius has joined the global advisory board of Out Leadership and penned an op-ed for the Guardian in which she calls on corporations to back the Equality Act. She writes:

We can’t do this without the support of the business community, which was vital throughout the marriage equality fight and will be no less necessary going forward. I therefore call on American businesses to support the passage of the Equality Act in the United States Congress. Introduced in the House in July and currently in committee, the act would update federal civil rights legislation to add sexual orientation and gender identity as legally protected statuses. More than 60% of Americans don’t realize that these protections don’t already exist, and it’s past time they did.

Additionally, just as same-sex marriage gained state traction before national recognition, businesses must also advocate at the state level for the passage of nondiscrimination laws in the 29 states where you can be fired for being gay, and the 31 where you can be fired for being transgender. When Indiana passed its RFRA, companies with operations in the state such as Salesforce and Eli Lilly reacted immediately, communicating clearly and effectively about how the law would negatively impact their ability to do business. But businesses can and should be more proactive in the effort to extend equality to all LGBT Americans, because most observers believe that more RFRAs are on the horizon.

Business speaks loudly, but ordinary citizens can help, too. Seven of 10 Americans believe that LGBT people should be protected by law from being discriminated against in employment, housing and services. Americans who support equality should learn whether their state has nondiscrimination legislation that includes LGBT people – and if it does not, they should contact their legislators to express their dissatisfaction.

Hit the link to learn more about Out Leadership, which bills itself as a “global LGBT business organization that partners with the world’s most influential companies to build business opportunities, cultivate talent, and drive LGBT equality forward.”