BALTIMORE, MD.  — “Baltimore stands in unity and celebration with the LGBTQ community in light of this morning’s United States Supreme Court decision which confirms workers who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer are protected from discrimination in the workplace. The ruling establishes that the protections under the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which currently prohibit workplace discrimination based on sex, includes LGBTQ workers.

“The decision verifies what we already know to be true in Baltimore: LGBTQ people deserve full, authentic inclusion in all aspects of our society. While we continue to work towards a city that is truly affirming and inclusive for all, we applaud the Supreme Court for this monumental step forward. While this decision cannot and will not erase the long history of violence and oppression LGBTQ people have faced, particularly in the workplace, it begins a new chapter and teaches a valuable lesson for building a society where all of our identities are celebrated. While we celebrate this important step forward, we must also be steadfast in achieving lived equality for people this ruling may continue to leave behind. Avatara Smith-Carrington, a Maryland Carey Law alum and current Tyron Garner Memorial Law Fellow at Lambda Legal reminds us, ‘many black and/or indigenous people of color who are trans and queer never get their foot in the door and are denied stable employment due to bias in the layered and intersecting forms of discrimination that can happen during the hiring phase.’ Similar to the landmark marriage equality ruling, decisions like these are not universal antidotes for all people who are LGBTQ, particularly transgender people of color, undocumented LGBTQ people, or LGBTQ persons with disabilities.

“We must use the energy and inspiration of this decision to continue to push for full equality not only in the workplace but in the many systems and situations which are hostile barriers for LGBTQ people to have the privilege of stable employment. In Baltimore, we vow to hold our employers, our government, and our residents accountable for realizing our vision of safety, unity, stability, health, and inclusion for all LGBTQ people.”

In Pride,
Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young