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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/08/obama-equal-pay-executive-actions-lgbt-need-not-apply
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Obama's epic fail on equal pay: LGBT need not apply? | Obama's epic fail on equal pay: LGBT need not apply? |
| (1 day later) | |
| President Obama just announced a couple | President Obama just announced a couple |
| executive actions intended to close the wage gap between men and women. "Our job's not finished yet," he said | executive actions intended to close the wage gap between men and women. "Our job's not finished yet," he said |
| at the White House, before signing into law new measures that will make federal contractors enforce limited pay equity | at the White House, before signing into law new measures that will make federal contractors enforce limited pay equity |
| rules and that will end certain differences in compensation based on | rules and that will end certain differences in compensation based on |
| race and gender. | race and gender. |
| That's good news. The president should sign orders like these, | That's good news. The president should sign orders like these, |
| especially on Equal Pay Day – especially in a country where women working full-time make 77 cents for every dollar men do. "In 2014, that's an embarrassment," Obama said. "It's wrong." | especially on Equal Pay Day – especially in a country where women working full-time make 77 cents for every dollar men do. "In 2014, that's an embarrassment," Obama said. "It's wrong." |
| You know what else is wrong? That it's not Equal Pay Day for a lot of us, | You know what else is wrong? That it's not Equal Pay Day for a lot of us, |
| no matter what the White House hype machine says about these measures "expanding | no matter what the White House hype machine says about these measures "expanding |
| opportunity for all" or "ensuring | opportunity for all" or "ensuring |
| equal pay for women". Not unless you're comfortable with a definition of "all" that means "LGBT need not apply". | equal pay for women". Not unless you're comfortable with a definition of "all" that means "LGBT need not apply". |
| "This executive order only protects me if | "This executive order only protects me if |
| I walk into the office of a federal contractor appearing straight," says Heather Cronk, managing director of GetEqual, the LGBT activist group behind the push to rescind Don't Ask Don't | I walk into the office of a federal contractor appearing straight," says Heather Cronk, managing director of GetEqual, the LGBT activist group behind the push to rescind Don't Ask Don't |
| Tell. She went on to tell me of another executive action, long since forgotten by the Obama administration: | Tell. She went on to tell me of another executive action, long since forgotten by the Obama administration: |
| But | But |
| the minute I mention my female partner, I run the risk of not only getting paid | the minute I mention my female partner, I run the risk of not only getting paid |
| less, but also being fired on the spot. If the president truly wants to move | less, but also being fired on the spot. If the president truly wants to move |
| forward the cause of equal pay for all | forward the cause of equal pay for all |
| women, he could start by signing another executive order he promised to sign | women, he could start by signing another executive order he promised to sign |
| back in 2008 – one that would prohibit discrimination by federal contractors based on | back in 2008 – one that would prohibit discrimination by federal contractors based on |
| sexual orientation and gender identity. | sexual orientation and gender identity. |
| This gripe | This gripe |
| is neither baseless nor trite. We now live in a county where LGBT people can get married and enjoy federal in 17 states but can be fired for having our spouse's picture on our desk in 32 of them. | |
| The man who vowed during his second inauguration | The man who vowed during his second inauguration |
| that "our | that "our |
| journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers and daughters can earn a | journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers and daughters can earn a |
| living equal to their efforts" should ponder the chances of a | living equal to their efforts" should ponder the chances of a |
| poor lesbian mother making a go of it with her kids in the southwestern | poor lesbian mother making a go of it with her kids in the southwestern |
| states, where she'll have no protection against discrimination of any kind, | states, where she'll have no protection against discrimination of any kind, |
| including employment. | including employment. |
| The executive order that Obama's been sitting | The executive order that Obama's been sitting |
| on – for going on, oh, his entire presidency – would protect approximately 26m people, | on – for going on, oh, his entire presidency – would protect approximately 26m people, |
| or nearly 22% of the total civilian workforce. It would also, according to Tico Almeida, president of the Freedom to Work organization, "give the US Labor Department | or nearly 22% of the total civilian workforce. It would also, according to Tico Almeida, president of the Freedom to Work organization, "give the US Labor Department |
| strong enforcement powers to seek back wages and reinstatement for LGBT workers | strong enforcement powers to seek back wages and reinstatement for LGBT workers |
| who are fired for discriminatory reasons". | who are fired for discriminatory reasons". |
| Preventing taxpayer-funded workplace | Preventing taxpayer-funded workplace |
| discrimination should be a no-brainer. | discrimination should be a no-brainer. |
| And yet, Obama's 2008 campaign promise | And yet, Obama's 2008 campaign promise |
| notwithstanding, the executive order that would include sexual orientation and | notwithstanding, the executive order that would include sexual orientation and |
| gender identity has languished for years now. This despite polls that | gender identity has languished for years now. This despite polls that |
| show 88% of Americans – and 86% of Republicans – believe that all | show 88% of Americans – and 86% of Republicans – believe that all |
| Americans, including LGBT Americans, "should | Americans, including LGBT Americans, "should |
| be judged on the job they do – nothing more, nothing less". | be judged on the job they do – nothing more, nothing less". |
| The White House's insistence that it's | The White House's insistence that it's |
| holding out for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) – or that the passage | holding out for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) – or that the passage |
| of ENDA would make an executive order "redundant" – is both silly and untrue. The ENDA, which would federally prohibit discrimination | of ENDA would make an executive order "redundant" – is both silly and untrue. The ENDA, which would federally prohibit discrimination |
| on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, has been kicking around Congress | on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, has been kicking around Congress |
| since 1994; that it passed in the | since 1994; that it passed in the |
| Senate last November means nothing. | Senate last November means nothing. |
| "Pending" in the House means "good as dead" in DC these days, and Obama's stumping today for the Paycheck Fairness Act probably won't help. That | "Pending" in the House means "good as dead" in DC these days, and Obama's stumping today for the Paycheck Fairness Act probably won't help. That |
| 90% percent of Americans mistakenly believe there's already a federal law in place | 90% percent of Americans mistakenly believe there's already a federal law in place |
| prohibiting discrimination against LGBT people in the workplace – well, that does | prohibiting discrimination against LGBT people in the workplace – well, that does |
| little to break Obama's inertia. | little to break Obama's inertia. |
| As the political strategist Paul Yandura told me: | As the political strategist Paul Yandura told me: |
| This represents an embarrassing stain | This represents an embarrassing stain |
| on the Obama record. He promised to | on the Obama record. He promised to |
| sign the executive order over six years ago. Yet he's still dilly dallying | sign the executive order over six years ago. Yet he's still dilly dallying |
| while his representatives continue to make up reasons for why he refuses to | while his representatives continue to make up reasons for why he refuses to |
| sign it. Each one lamer than the last. | sign it. Each one lamer than the last. |
| Today was a day for President Obama to make nice with | Today was a day for President Obama to make nice with |
| the many heterosexual women he's let down, on issues from foreclosure and | the many heterosexual women he's let down, on issues from foreclosure and |
| reproductive health to cabinet appointments and sexual harassment in the | reproductive health to cabinet appointments and sexual harassment in the |
| military. Come June – gay pride month – he'll throw LGBT people our bone. How | military. Come June – gay pride month – he'll throw LGBT people our bone. How |
| big it is – and whether it's the one we want – depends on the kind of noise we | big it is – and whether it's the one we want – depends on the kind of noise we |
| make. And whether the White House really knows that its job isn't finished yet. | make. And whether the White House really knows that its job isn't finished yet. |