Obama Signs Exec. Order Banning Discrimination Against LGBT Federal Contractors

Obama moves to protect LGBT federal contractors and employees (The Washington Post)

The executive order President Obama is scheduled to sign todayprotecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) federal contractors is as notable for what it says as what it explicitly does not say. There will be no additional exemptions for religious entities. Given the established carve-out made by President George W. Bush, Obama was right to say no to more.

Today’s signing comes after two extraordinary meetings in the West Wing within the last two weeks between a small group of leaders from the religious and LGBT communities. Gatherings that happened after folks in the religious community who are friends of Obama started pressuring himto shield religious entities from complying with his impending order. According to an administration official, the meetings, which will be ongoing, were “very constructive and deeply moving.” Because the participants “listened and sought to put themselves in the other’s shoes,” they were able “to have really open and honest conversations” about religious freedom and the need to protect people from discrimination. The president’s action today shows the two are not mutually exclusive.