More than 115 years later however, LGBTI people in the both the United States and the Commonwealth of Kentucky can be terminated because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. You cannot be terminated for being a smoker in Kentucky, but you can be terminated for being yourself.
The LGBTI community makes a significant contribution to the economic welfare of the Commonwealth and our entire Union. This year, Kentucky Equality Federation has invested significant resources representing people across the Commonwealth who filed complaints with our Discrimination, Hate Crimes, and School Bullying Committee for being terminated because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
It is time to "drag" our Commonwealth into the 21st Century by insisting the Kentucky Legislature add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Kentucky Civil Rights Act of 1966 as a protected class along with religion, smoking, disability, race, sex, ancestry, veteran status, and disability.
In 1966, Kentucky became the 1st state in the South to pass a civil rights law. The Commonwealth also became the first in the south to establish enforcement powers over civil rights violations on a state level. The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights becomes the state enforcement authority of the Act.
What happened to us? At what point did our great Commonwealth lose its leadership in the area of civil rights?
Along with religion, smoking, disability, race, sex, ancestry, veteran status, and disability, No ONE should be discriminated against because of their sexual orientation.
We urge you to sign to following action alerts from the site of our new partner, change.org to bring full equality to our great Commonwealth; it will only take a moment of your time to add your signature to bring change to Kentucky:
- Add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Kentucky Civil Rights Act of 1966.
- Repeal Kentucky's 2004 Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnerships.
