June 4, 2013

Excerpts from the letter PFOX sent to Keith Willingham, Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management: … “Language that specifically includes former homosexuals is necessary because of intense prejudice and discrimination against the ex-gay community and their supporters. Larry Dombrowski, a federal government employee with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), was suspended without pay for seven days and transferred to another state because, among other things, he spoke about former homosexuals in conversations with co-workers.”

“After Dombrowski filed a civil rights lawsuit against the FAA, the federal government agreed to clear Mr. Dombrowski’s record and pay his attorneys’ fees and costs. We must ensure that the federal government never again discriminates against former homosexuals and their allies. Hence our proposed language not only serves to maximize diversity, but is necessary to counter past discrimination.”

“Moreover, in the case of PFOX v. Government of the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights, No. 2008 CA 003662, slip. op. at 12 (D.C. June 26, 2009), the Superior Court of the District of Columbia ordered the Washington D.C. Office of Human Rights to recognize former homosexuals as a protected class for sexual orientation nondiscrimination purposes. Our federal government should do no less.”