Kentucky Needs a Statewide Fairness Ordinance
Kentucky Needs a Statewide Fairness Ordinance
The Issue
Don’t tell anyone, or they may bully you. Pretend to be like the other people in the restaurant, or they might not serve you. Definitely keep your identity hidden at work, or you could lose your job. This is how a lot of people live in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and throughout our nation. Equal rights don’t really exist for everyone. As an openly gay high school freshman, I am very lucky because I do live in a city where my rights are protected. I have a family that not only loves but supports me. But for many others throughout our state this is not the case.
My platform, “IamEQUAL: Advocating for LGBT Rights”, communicates the importance of acceptance of all LGBT youth and focuses on the civil rights that are needed to protect the LGBT community. Having a personal opinion is normal. People tend to be around other people that make them feel comfortable. Someone of a different sexual preference can sometimes create confusion and fear. To counter discrimination, awareness and educational programs of acceptance can help make everyone more comfortable because each person is held to the same standard. Passing civil rights laws throughout the entire state is not optional but necessary.
According to the Kentucky Youth Law Project, An overwhelming majority (92.3%) of LGBT students in Kentucky reported being verbally harassed in the past year. In contrast, only 3% of Kentucky LGBT students attend a school with a comprehensive anti-bullying policy that includes protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Human Rights Campaign has also found that four in ten LGBT youth say the community in which they live is not accepting of LGBT youth. Is it easier as an LGBT adult? No. Throughout 75% of Kentucky it is still legal to fire someone from a job, deny them a place to live, or kick them out of a restaurant if they are “thought” to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Currently, 28 of our states are without any LGBT discrimination laws.
Awareness of these issues is key. PLEASE SIGN my petition so that we can let our Governor and Senators know that this is an issue that all Kentuckians care about and that we are demanding change. Equal rights for all, and laws against discrimination THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE OF KENTUCKY.
Why? Because #IamEqual
The Issue
Don’t tell anyone, or they may bully you. Pretend to be like the other people in the restaurant, or they might not serve you. Definitely keep your identity hidden at work, or you could lose your job. This is how a lot of people live in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and throughout our nation. Equal rights don’t really exist for everyone. As an openly gay high school freshman, I am very lucky because I do live in a city where my rights are protected. I have a family that not only loves but supports me. But for many others throughout our state this is not the case.
My platform, “IamEQUAL: Advocating for LGBT Rights”, communicates the importance of acceptance of all LGBT youth and focuses on the civil rights that are needed to protect the LGBT community. Having a personal opinion is normal. People tend to be around other people that make them feel comfortable. Someone of a different sexual preference can sometimes create confusion and fear. To counter discrimination, awareness and educational programs of acceptance can help make everyone more comfortable because each person is held to the same standard. Passing civil rights laws throughout the entire state is not optional but necessary.
According to the Kentucky Youth Law Project, An overwhelming majority (92.3%) of LGBT students in Kentucky reported being verbally harassed in the past year. In contrast, only 3% of Kentucky LGBT students attend a school with a comprehensive anti-bullying policy that includes protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Human Rights Campaign has also found that four in ten LGBT youth say the community in which they live is not accepting of LGBT youth. Is it easier as an LGBT adult? No. Throughout 75% of Kentucky it is still legal to fire someone from a job, deny them a place to live, or kick them out of a restaurant if they are “thought” to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Currently, 28 of our states are without any LGBT discrimination laws.
Awareness of these issues is key. PLEASE SIGN my petition so that we can let our Governor and Senators know that this is an issue that all Kentuckians care about and that we are demanding change. Equal rights for all, and laws against discrimination THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE OF KENTUCKY.
Why? Because #IamEqual
Petition Closed
Share this petition
The Decision Makers
Petition Updates
Share this petition
Petition created on September 7, 2016