PFLAG Wants to End Discrimination During COVID-19

PFLAG National joined a coalition of 183 national, state, and local organizations to send a letter to Congressional leaders asking that they ensure the protection of vulnerable communities in any COVID-19 response legislation.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread rapidly throughout the U.S., communities of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ people are among those who will be disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

Many in these communities rely on assistance from government programs, services, and benefits, and discrimination in COVID-19 response would exacerbate existing health and economic inequities by allowing qualified members of these vulnerable communities to be turned away on the basis of arbitrary factors including age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, color, national origin, immigration status, or religion.

PFLAG are the first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people, their parents and families, and allies.

With over 400 chapters and 200,000 members and supporters crossing multiple generations of families in major urban centers, small cities, and rural areas across America, PFLAG are committed to creating a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed.

“Our families and LGBTQ+ loved ones are people of color, people with disabilities, women, youth, and elders, religious, secular, and living on the brink in this uncertain time and waning economy. PFLAG National calls on our elected leaders to include language to explicitly prohibit discrimination in all COVID-19 bills,” said Brian K. Bond, executive director of PFLAG National.

“All people, inclusive of our LGBTQ+ loved ones, deserve equitable protection under the law.”

The letter asks Congressional leaders to include specific language that prohibits such discrimination in all programs funded by COVID-19 response legislation.

“LGBTQ communities know all-too-well the devastating effects of stigma, exclusion, and neglect during an epidemic,” said Imani Rupert-Gordon, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

“In this current crisis, our government must ensure that every person can access needed healthcare, services, and economic relief without fear of discrimination including the elderly, people with disabilities, people of color, and those living in rural areas, low-income communities, or in other communities most affected by this virus.”

Family Equality advances legal and lived equality for LGBTQ families, and for those who wish to form them, through building community, changing hearts and minds, and driving policy change. Family Equality believes every LGBTQ person should have the right and opportunity to form and sustain a loving family regardless of who they are or where they live.