ACLU of Connecticut Applauds Anti-Discrimination Legislation

February 22, 2016 12:00 am

The ACLU of Connecticut applauds legislation that would ensure that the Connecticut Military Department is equal, fair, and just in its hiring and promotion practices. Senate Bill 21, proposed by Governor Dannel Malloy, would prevent discrimination in employment and bring Connecticut’s laws into the modern era by updating the Connecticut Military Department’s nondiscrimination code to include women and LGBT individuals.

“This bill is a step forward for equality in Connecticut,” said David McGuire, Legislative and Policy Director for the ACLU of Connecticut. “Barring someone from military service just because of who they are or who they love is discriminatory and wrong. Giving women and LGBT individuals a fighting chance to fight for our state is the right thing to do. The U.S. Defense Department has already swept restrictions on women and gay, lesbian, and bisexual members of the military into the dustbin of history, and Connecticut should do the same.”

McGuire will testify in support of the proposed legislation during a Committee on Veterans’ Affairs hearing on Wednesday, February 23. Today, more than 4,700 people serve in Connecticut’s Air and Army National Guards, which are included in the Connecticut Military Department.

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