(Washington, DC, July 23, 2020)
“Three decades ago today, the National LGBTQ Task Force was proud to be part of the group of advocates who successfully lobbied for the passage of the Americans with Disabilities act, specifically working to make the ADA inclusive of people living with HIV/AIDS. The ADA included prohibitions for discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS at the height of the pandemic in employment, public accommodations and public transportation and other spaces. It was a historic victory at a time for the LGBTQ civil rights movement.
And while the Task Force has been fighting from the beginning of the pandemic and ever since for people
living with HIV/AIDS, we know that the battle for equity is far from over for people with disabilities.
Today we honor the work of advocates like Chai Feldblum and so many others who fought, litigated and lobbied for the rights of people living with disabilities.
But there are still many issues that concern the disability community, even 30 years after the ADA’s passage. Our work has and always will focus on the intersection of LGBTQ populations, disability and racial equity, and our goal now is ensuring that the ADA helps make the world a place where people with disabilities can fully participate in society and enjoy equal opportunity, and must include LGBTQ, Black, Indigenous People of Color and all those at the intersection of those identities.”
The National LGBTQ Task Force advances full freedom, justice, and equity for LGBTQ people. We are building a future where everyone can be free to be their entire selves in every aspect of their lives. Today, despite all the progress we’ve made to end discrimination, millions of LGBTQ people face barriers in every aspect of their lives: in housing, employment, healthcare, retirement, and basic human rights. For more information go to https://www.thetaskforce.org
Contact:
Cathy Renna, Interim Communications Director, National LGBTQ Task Force, [email protected], 917-757-6123