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<\/p>\nJeff Sessions Reverses Policy That Protects Transgender People from Discrimination Under Title VII of Civil Rights Act<\/b><\/p>\n
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions has just rescinded a policy that protected transgender people under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.<\/p>\n
Buzzfeed News reports<\/a>:<\/p>\n Sessions\u2019 directive, obtained by BuzzFeed News, says, \u201cTitle VII\u2019s prohibition on sex<\/a> discrimination encompasses discrimination between men<\/a> and women<\/a> but does not encompass discrimination based on gender identity\u00a0per se<\/i>, including transgender status.\u201d<\/p>\n It adds that the government will take this position in pending and future matters, which could have far-reaching implications across the federal government and may result in the Justice Department fighting against transgender workers in court.<\/p>\n \u201cAlthough federal law, including Title VII, provides various protections to transgender individuals, Title VII does not prohibit discrimination based on gender identity\u00a0per se<\/i>,\u201d Sessions writes. \u201cThis is a conclusion of law, not policy. As a law enforcement agency, the Department of Justice must interpret Title VII as written by Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2026The memo reflects the Justice Department\u2019s aggression toward LGBT rights under President Trump and Sessions, who\u00a0reversed<\/a>\u00a0Obama-era guidance that protects transgender students after a few weeks in office. Last month, Sessions\u00a0filed a brief<\/a>\u00a0at the Supreme Court in favor of a Christian baker who refused a wedding cake to a gay<\/a> couple<\/a>. And last week, the department\u00a0argued<\/a>\u00a0in court that Title VII doesn\u2019t protect a gay<\/a> worker from discrimination, showing that Sessions will take his view on Title VII into private employment disputes.<\/p>\n At issue in the latest policy is how broadly the government interprets Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which does not address LGBT rights directly. Rather, it prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex<\/a>.<\/p>\n More at Buzzfeed<\/a>.<\/p>\n The DNC released this statement:<\/p>\n \u201cThis week, Jeff Sessions escalated the Trump administration\u2019s war on LGBTQ people. By reinterpreting our employment laws to try to stop protecting transgender people from\u00a0discrimination,\u00a0Donald Trump, Mike Pence, and Jeff Sessions have revealed their real goal \u2013 turn the clock back to a time when life was even more difficult for LGBTQ people,\u00a0transgender individuals\u00a0in particular.<\/p>\n \u201cFortunately, the courts have rebuked this bigotry and made clear that LGBTQ Americans have the right to be free from\u00a0discrimination in the workplace. It\u2019s time for Congress to do the same, because Attorney General Sessions can\u2019t be trusted to protect us or our civil rights. Democrats\u00a0support the right of LGBTQ people to live<\/a> and work without fear and demand Sessions stop using the Department of Justice to further this administration\u2019s divisive agenda.\u201d<\/p>\n Developing\u2026<\/p>\n The post Jeff Sessions Reverses Policy That Protects Transgender People from Discrimination Under Title VII of Civil Rights Act<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n