Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis excludes LGBTQ protections from anti-discrimination order

[steve2470]

https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2019/01/10/florida-gov-ron-desantis-excludes-lgbtq-protections-from-anti-discrimination-order

Hours after being sworn in on Tuesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an anti-discrimination order for state employees that excluded protections for LGBTQ people.

The Republican governor signed the "Reaffirming Commitment to Diversity in Government" order, which pledges that his administration will prohibit discrimination in employment based on "age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, marital status or disability" for government employees and contractors. The order, though, does not include "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" among the listed protections.

"Equality Florida is deeply disappointed to see that LGBTQ employees and contractors have been left out of the Governor’s executive order," said Joe Saunders, senior political director for the state's leading LGBTQ rights group. "It’s hard to believe that Gov. DeSantis and his staff are not aware of the LGBTQ communities call for these protections following the Pulse tragedy and therefore it is hard to interpret this as anything less than a purposeful omission."

Since the 2016 massacre at the gay nightclub Pulse, LGBTQ advocates from across the state pleaded with Republican Gov. Rick Scott to sign an executive order protecting state employees against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Florida civil rights laws don't explicitly protect queer and trans communities from discrimination, meaning it's legal to deny LGBTQ people housing, service and employment.