If you were working and had to worry about losing your job due to discrimination based on your sexual preferences, would you think it was wrong? Most people would agree that any kind of discrimination has no place in the workplace, which brings up the topic of Texas’s laws on gender. According to the article, in Texas, it’s not illegal to be fired for your sexual orientation, making it possible to be discriminated against as someone who identifies as homosexual, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or even for being heterosexual.
A new campaign called, “Texas Wins” is aiming to make sure those who identify as LBGT can’t be discriminated against when it comes to housing, public accommodation or employment. That means that you wouldn’t be able to be fired simply because you were homosexual or because you wanted to change your gender identity. Texas does not offer such protections right now.
At the moment, LGBT rights are under fire in Texas, which has conservative roots. For instance, a few lawmakers in the state have been pushing for constitutional amendments that would protect religious freedom but not stop someone from discriminating against someone else due to his or her sexual orientation. Texas Wins has aimed to protect the LGBT community against this potential threat, as a protection for religion could, in some cases, make it acceptable to discriminate against the LGBT community.
Realistically, discrimination doesn’t have a place at work. It’s important for businesses to choose the best candidate and the person who can give the most to the business. This should be regardless of a person’s gender or sexual preferences. Texas Wins has several high-profile supporters, but its end goal is to help make the case to end discrimination in Texas.
Source: Culture Map, “Billionaire entrepreneur joins fight to end LGBT discrimination in Texas” John Egan, Mar. 08, 2015