Review the specific goals that need to be achieved to have legal equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Americans...
The following Equality Goals represent those rights and protections
needed to achieve the same human rights for everyone:
EQUALITY GOAL 1: Federal Hate Crimes Protection
Expand Hate Crimes legislation to also include the real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity or expression of the victim.
EQUALITY
GOAL 2: Protection from Discrimination in Employment, Housing, Finance, and Public Accommodation
Protect from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or
expression, not only in the workplace, but also in housing, finance, and public accommodation.
EQUALITY GOAL 3: Military - Don't Ask Don't Tell
Lift the ban on gays, lesbians and transgenders serving openly by repealing the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. Depenalize sodomy by revoking article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice Modify medical and uniform military regulations that do not respect gender identity and expression.
EQUALITY GOAL 4: Marriage Equality
Beyond gay marriage, or lesbian marriage, or same sex marriage: it is a matter of civil marriage equality now, like in Canada, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, South Africa, and Norway. It also requires to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
INTERIM GOAL 4A: Federal Protections for Couples
Instituting stopgap equalities including social security benefits and partner immigration equality. Notice that repealing DOMA does not guarantee equal protections for same sex couples (especially in the case that they live in a state in which there is marriage discrimination). Therefore, specific federal legislation is needed to bring equality to all couples who are legally married.
INTERIM GOAL 4B: Civil Unions/Domestic Partnerships
Creating temporary solutions in states where marriage equality now is not possible due to constitutional amendments.
INTERIM GOAL 4C: Repeal the Federal Marriage Amendment Act (DOMA)
DOMA is very brief and has three sections. Secion 1 is the title. Section 2 allows states not to recognize same sex marriages from other jurisdictions (in most states same sex marriages are forbidden in the State Constitution). Section 3 defines marriage, for the Federal Government purposes, as only between one man and one woman.
EQUALITY GOAL 5: Freedom of Gender
Add gender identity and expression to laws that currently protect other discriminated groups such as Hate Crimes and ENDA. Allow individuals the freedom to designate their gender on government records such as birth certificates, drivers licenses, passports, and social security databases. Require medical insurance to cover both routine healthcare and specialized medical care for transgender people as recommended by their physicians.
EQUALITY GOAL 6: Protecting Youth
Protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth in schools, foster care, and the juvenile justice system. Support the passage of anti-bullying legislation and support gay-straight alliances in schools.
EQUALITY GOAL 7: Same Sex Parenting Rights
Ensure same sex parenting and adoption rights in all states. Grant same sex couples the same rights and responsibilities that are now granted to heterosexual couples regarding adoption, foster care, child custody and visitation, and surrogacy/insemination.
The
order of the listing above is determined by a combination of impact, reachability, and cost, and it does not necessarily imply
priority. There are two Interim Goals (Civil Unions and Domestic
Partnerships) that are not necessary if Equality Goal 4 (Marriage Equality) is achieved.
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