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Task Force Action Fund responds to presidential memorandum granting protections
to same-sex partners of federal employees

WASHINGTON, June 17 — The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund responded today to President Obama's memorandum extending some protections to the same-sex partners and families of federal employees.

Statement by Rea Carey, Executive Director
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund

"This presidential memorandum today will extend some selected protections to the same-sex partners and families of federal employees. The federal government is the largest employer in the country and this represents a positive result for thousands of employees and their families; it also inches our federal government closer to nondiscrimination both in word and in policy, which is a good thing.

"This memo is one building block toward full equality, and much more remains to be done in order for the administration to live up to the promises of equality the president made as a candidate on the campaign trail. These promises include working toward passage of inclusive hate crime and employment nondiscrimination legislation, and repeal of the discriminatory military ban and the so-called 'Defense of Marriage Act.'

"We also call on the president to take additional steps that will have a positive impact on our health, our livelihoods and our families' safety that do not require legislative action. These include reversing the standing policy of the U.S. Census Bureau to manually un-marry any same-sex couple who lawfully states they are married on the 2010 census, extending employment protections to federal employees based on gender identity, and reversing the regulations that continue to throw roadblocks in the way of HIV-positive individuals who want to travel to this country.

"We will continue to advocate for changes like these that will end federally supported discrimination; improve the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people; and advance fairness and equality."

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