WASHINGTON - Catholics for Equality, a national organization of Catholics who put their faith into ethical and effective political action on behalf of the LGBT community and their families, applauds today’s reintroduction of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). The legislation, which includes broad religious exemptions and has the support of 73% of American Catholics, would make it illegal to fire or deny employment to an individual simply because of their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Such discrimination is currently legal in 38 of the 50 states.

The organization also calls for greater education around the need to end discrimination based on gender identity and expression. A recent survey conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality of over 6,450 transgender and gender non-conforming Americans found that discrimination against them is pervasive throughout our nation. The study, “Injustice at Every Turn,” further showed the combination of anti-transgender bias and persistent, structural racism to be especially devastating.

“No person of faith could read the statistics in this study and not weep,” said Catholics for Equality Executive Director Phil Attey. “Catholic social justice teaching compels us to be the Good Samaritans in this world and to care for the least of our brethren. Support for this bill will show us who the Good Samaritans are in the 112th Congress.”

Catholics for Equality has named ENDA as one of its top legislative priorities and has distributed Catholic-specific messaging on this issue to the 24 Catholic Senators and 133 Catholic Representatives in the 112th Congress.

(Press Release by Catholics for Equality, 30th March 2010)