COME OUT COME OUT WHERE EVER YOU ARE; AFSCME MAKES EQUALITY HAPPEN

Rochester, N.Y. -- Today, October 11, is National Coming Out Day – IT started in the late 1980's to raise up the lives of those who openly identified as LGBT and to give hope to people who hadn't yet come out of the closet.

Many CSEA and AFSCME workers have spent most of their adult careers working on LGBT issues and in environments where sexual orientation wasn't an issue at all. But many people don't have the privileges or freedoms in the workplace taken for granted by so many others. Despite the remarkable progress made by the LGBT community, there are still no clear protections for America's workers, meaning it's still risky for many to be out in the workplace.

That's why the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is so important to protect people in the workplace based on sexual orientation and gender identity. ENDA isn't about special rights – it would protect non-LGBT people as well – it's about leveling the playing field to ensure that applicants and employees are judged based on their qualifications and performance and not who they are, how they present themselves, or who they love.

On this National Coming Out Day, stand up for an America where everyone can be out at work without fear of losing their job because of who they are or whom they love –- and sign a petition to pass ENDA. If you are looking for resources or local information about equality issues in your workplace, contact your local chapter of Pride At Work, AFL-CIO.