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U.S. attorney general orders probe into mistreatment of gay employees

By Sarah N. Lynch

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Attorney General William Barr delivers remarks at a Justice Department African American History Month event in Washington, U.S., February 26, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General William Barr said he was ordering certain Justice Department offices to investigate possible discrimination targeting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees after an internal gay affinity group complained of low morale.

 

In an April 4 letter to DOJ Pride released on Friday, Barr said he was "troubled" by the group's concerns, and was directing the FBI and the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to "investigate and address allegations of discrimination."

 

Barr also released a formal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) statement declaring that no department employee or applicant should face discrimination over race, ethnicity, religion, age, disability or sexual orientation.

 

"Issuing the statement is not only required by law ... it is the right thing to do," Barr wrote.

 

Barr's tone and response to the department's gay rights group marked a stark contrast from his predecessor Jeff Sessions, who actively took steps to undermine civil rights protections for gay, lesbian and transgender people.

 

In October 2017, for instance, Sessions sent a memo to federal prosecutors declaring that Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act did not protect workers from gender identity discrimination.

 

The department under Sessions' leadership also reversed legal positions taken during the Obama administration on gay rights, including one case where it appeared before a federal appeals court in Manhattan to argue that Title VII does not provide protections to gay and lesbian workers.

 

In a March letter to Barr, DOJ Pride said the department in recent years has suffered low morale, hurting its ability to retain and recruit new LGBT talent.

 

The group said Sessions had declined ever to issue an EEO statement reiterating the federal government's stance against discrimination, despite requests to do so.

 

Throughout his time at the department, it said, an older EEO statement issued by former Attorney General Loretta Lynch was all that remained up on the department's website.

 

Based on an October 2018 survey, the group found, gay, lesbian and transgender employees felt the workplace environment was "no longer the welcoming, inclusive environment" it used to be.

 

Of all the respondents in the survey, only 31 percent said they believed the Justice Department valued LGBT employees.

 

In particular, the survey identified concerns inside both the FBI and BOP - the two largest components of the Justice Department. It also uncovered repeated criticism within the FBI Academy, the agency's law enforcement training and research centre, over how gay people are evaluated and treated.

 

An FBI representative said in a statement that the agency "is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in our workforce" and it does "not tolerate discriminatory behaviours."

 

The BOP, in an emailed statement, said it "does not tolerate discrimination" and any allegations of misconduct are taken seriously. "We are committed to ensuring a safe work place that is free of discrimination and harassment," the statement said.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-04-06

 

[FarangDoingHisThing69]

A cute pet project. How about the mistreatment of the average worker who does not latch onto a fashionable label?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Samui Bodoh]

"...U.S. Attorney General William Barr said he was ordering certain Justice Department offices to investigate possible discrimination targeting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees after an internal gay affinity group complained of low morale..."

 

It is sad that this kind of discrimination still occurs; you'd have thought that we'd have evolved beyond it.

 

It's 2019.

 

Grow up.

 

 

[Cryingdick]

Time for some gay sensitivity courses that are mandatory. They should try being conservative in Silicon Valley. I am gay myself and beginning to find that the LGBTQIA (seriously this is what is called now by some I forget what politician added that many letters but I am not making it up) are entirely too sensitive. 

 

I remember long ago when the left was considered the tolerant ones. Long way from the free love and sex movement to the "Biden breathed on me" crap.

[RJRS1301]

3 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

Time for some gay sensitivity courses that are mandatory. They should try being conservative in Silicon Valley. I am gay myself and beginning to find that the LGBTQIA (seriously this is what is called now by some I forget what politician added that many letters but I am not making it up) are entirely too sensitive. 

 

I remember long ago when the left was considered the tolerant ones. Long way from the free love and sex movement to the "Biden breathed on me" crap.

The acronym soup for LGBTI AQ has become so ridiculous as to begin to loose its meaning for those in the LGBTI communities. The adding of more definitions by sociologists (I am one) to allow them to publish papers, achieves very little. 

Surely we can leave it at LGBTI, work there for acceptance and breaking of heteronormative values, and treat people with respect and dignity irrespective of gender sexual orientation, race or other defining characteristics.

[Cryingdick]

Just now, RJRS1301 said:

The acronym soup for LGBTI AQ has become so ridiculous as to begin to loose its meaning for those in the LGBTI communities. The adding of more definitions by sociologists (I am one) to allow them to publish papers, achieves very little. 

Surely we can leave it at LGBTI, work there for acceptance and breaking of heteronormative values, and treat people with respect and dignity irrespective of gender sexual orientation, race or other defining characteristics.

 

Just LGBT suffices in my opinion as a gay man.

Edited April 6, 2019 by Cryingdick

[lannarebirth]

1 minute ago, Cryingdick said:

 

Just LGBT suffices in my opinion as a gay man.

What's the difference between a B and an I?  TIA

[RJRS1301]

The Intersexed communities requested to be added, as they had very little agency in the political debate, and requested advocacy from the stronger LGBT voices.

Edited April 6, 2019 by RJRS1301

[RJRS1301]

Just now, lannarebirth said:

What's the difference between a B and an I?  TIA

B= Bisexual

I= Intersex 

 

[lannarebirth]

1 minute ago, RJRS1301 said:

B= Bisexual

I= Intersex 

 

Yeah, I know, I looked it up. So what's the difference between  Bisexual and Intersex? Seems like it is saying the same thing.

[Cryingdick]

Just now, lannarebirth said:

Yeah, I know, I looked it up. So what's the difference between  Bisexual and Intersex? Seems like it is saying the same thing.

 

Nobody knows. What's the difference between queer and androgynous, questioning, confused etc.? 

 

[RJRS1301]

5 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

Nobody knows. What's the difference between queer and androgynous, questioning, confused etc.? 

 

Intersex is a chromosomal condition , completely different to sexual orientation.

Intersex persons may identify as str8/gay/bisexual etc.

The condition is a lifelong chromosomal and genetic, rather than a sexual orientation

 

Edited April 6, 2019 by RJRS1301

[Cryingdick]

2 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Intersex is a chromosomal condition , completely different to sexual orientation.

Intersex persons may identify as str8/gay/bisexual etc.

The condition is a lifelong chromosomal matter.

 

Okay. I still think it doesn't belong in the whole LGBT thing if that is the case. I am gay and don't have a medical condition.

 

 

Edited April 6, 2019 by Cryingdick

[Cryingdick]

To stay on topic this is about work place discrimination. I am finding that it isn't hard for gay people to get jobs these days and depending on what you do their is favoritism shown these days.

[RJRS1301]

I suggest reading some  studies on Intersex from some of the medical sites available it is a very complicated matter.

[RJRS1301]

2 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

Okay. I still think it doesn't belong in the whole LGBT thing if that is the case. I am gay and don't have a medical condition.

 

 

As stated earlier the “I” was included at the request of the Intersexed communities, for advocacy reasons.

Yes many of us

 

have not suffered employment discrimination, but many more have, and all persons irrespective of sexual orientation, should be treated with respect and dignity.

 

[RJRS1301]

13 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

Okay. I still think it doesn't belong in the whole LGBT thing if that is the case. I am gay and don't have a medical condition.

 

 

I was referring to a question about the meaning of “I”.

Some of us have been fortunate in to experiencing discrimination in employment, because of sexual orientation, but many have, so that is why the laws were enacted.

Politicians need to work within the legislative frameworks of their portfolios , 

[Chomper Higgot]

Thank you RJRS1301 for providing informed responses.

 

Certainly helped my understanding of the issues you discussed.

[blazes]

For once I am as confused as Chomper on all this cr@p.

 

I wonder if we could form a new set of acronyms grouping all the rest of us hormonal dingbats?

 

How about:

 

OWM = Old White Male

OBM = Old Black Male

ASS = Al Sharpton Supporter [of Democrat cringeworthies]

 

and so on.

 

All contributions welcomed.

[farcanell]

 

U.S. attorney general orders probe into mistreatment of gay employees

the military will love this.... and are we seeing Barr push back against trumps assaults on transgenders now?

 

im damned if I understand how sexual orientation can devalue a persons contribution to any organisation... but then, women’s contributions have been devalued since forever (thanks god), so throwing homophobia and all other phobias about folks with different strokes isn’t surprising. Fear what you don’t understand seems easier than overcoming thru education and tolerance.

 

Edited April 6, 2019 by farcanell