LGBT Rights

Congresswoman Maloney is a longtime and a strong supporter of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights. In Congress, she is a member of the LGBT Equality Caucus and a strong supporter of anti-discrimination legislation, including the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Student Non-Discrimination Act, the Equality Act, and other federal measures to expand and protect the rights of LGBT individuals. In 1986, she also introduced the first domestic partnership legislation in New York City history.

Select Highlights

• Marriage: Congresswoman Maloney has long supported marriage equality and rejoiced with much of her district, and the country at large, over the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize marriage equality in the United States in June 2015. However, there will inevitably be work ahead as some parts of the country will continue to discriminate against same-sex couples. Congresswoman Maloney is prepared to continue the fight until all couples in the United States truly hold equal rights and opportunities in their marriages and partnerships.

• Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010: Congresswoman Maloney sponsored this legislation, allowing gay, lesbian and bi-sexual individuals to openly serve in the military after a law was enacted in 1993 that stated these individuals could only serve if their sexual orientation was not discovered by the military. Now, anyone can openly serve in the United States military regardless of their sexual orientation

• Adoption: Many adoption agencies in the United States make the adoption process unfairly difficult for same-sex couples when compared to heterosexual couples. Every couple deserves a fair chance to try to adopt a child, and Congress must fight to allow every couple this right. 

• Education: No student in America deserves to face discrimination because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity.  Congresswoman Maloney is fighting in Congress to have non-discriminatory legislation passed in order to be sure that no student is denied the right toa good education.

• Employment: In most states, employers are still allowed to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate on the bases of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability or genetic information. Congresswoman Maloney is a strong supporter of the Employment Non Discrimination Act, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to this list.

• International Efforts: Congresswoman Maloney is not only a supporter of the American LGBT community, but the international LGBT population. Across the world, gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender individuals are tormented, discriminated against, imprisoned, and in some cases executed every day. As a human rights advocate, the Congresswoman has openly criticized nations that hold such discriminatory and exclusive policies towards the LGBT community, and calls on each of them to change their intolerant laws.

• Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act: Starting in 2003 Congresswoman Maloney sponsored the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act. This bill would provide couples in domestic partnerships, civil unions and same-sex marriages with all the benefits offered currently by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). These essential protections were extended to federal employees and their same-sex domestic partners through an executive order issued by President Obama in 2010. The landmark Obergefell v. Hodges decision legalizing same-sex marriage in all 50 states now ensures that all married couples are afforded the same rights and access to benefits that have been denied same-sex couples for far too long, but Congresswoman Maloney is committed to making sure that all families can access basic FMLA leave.
   
• Uganda’s proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill: In 2010 the Ugandan Parliament considered discriminatory legislation, called the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which would make any homosexual act in Uganda punishable by imprisonment and possibly death. Congresswoman Maloney, a longtime proponent for LGBT rights worldwide, lobbied Ugandan officials to reject this draconian law. In her lobbying efforts the Congresswoman wrote a letter to the Uganda Mission to the UN encouraging them to speak with human rights activists, made many public statements in opposition to the bill, and submitted a testimony to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission outlining the significant human rights violations associated with this bill. While the Anti-Homosexuality Bill passed the Ugandan parliament in December 2013, it was nullified by the Uganda Constitutional Court eight months later.