Gina Smallwood, one of the characters in The Closet Case, works at a non-profit whose mission is to make sure that all families are treated equally under the law. Here is her take on why gay marriage is not enough:
“I know what you’re thinking. ‘People can get married, Gina. It’s a different world.’ Not like it was in Aunt Mavis’ day.’ There are many issues left to tackle. For example, what’s the benefit of marriage in a state where you can be fired for your sexual orientation? We here at Waybert-Slone believe in recognizing and celebrating milestones, but it’s not time to drop the baton. There is a pot of gold, but we haven’t reached it yet.”
So, a funny thing happened on the way to publication . . .
On June 15th, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects LGBT+ workers. In other words, it is illegal to fire someone based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
I can imagine Gina and friends celebrating that victory and her cheerfully having to re-write some of her presentation.
Tawanna Sullivan 