BOSTON – U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz hosted a roundtable discussion on Monday, Sept. 21, 2016, with local Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) advocates to discuss civil rights issues affecting the community in anticipation of National Coming Out Day on October 11^th and LGBTI History Month, also in October. 

“Though we should be proud of the historic progress that has been achieved to ensure that LGBTI individuals can finally receive the equal protection and treatment that they deserve, we cannot become complacent and think that our work is complete,” said U.S. Attorney Ortiz.  “The Civil Rights Unit is committed to ensuring that LGBTI individuals have access and equal opportunities in all areas – schools, places of employment and places of public accommodation.”

The two-hour roundtable opened with welcoming remarks from U.S. Attorney Ortiz, and featured an overview of the Justice Department’s work protecting the rights of LGBTI individuals by Civil Rights Unit Chief Jennifer Serafyn.  During the roundtable discussion, advocates had the opportunity to voice their views and identify the most pressing issues facing the LGBTI community.

Many local advocates were invited to attend, including the Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth, the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, MassEquality, Fenway Community Health Center, GLAD, the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, and Speak OUT. 

The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office was established in 2015 with the mission of enhancing federal civil rights enforcement.  For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights.