Public News Service: Fighting discrimination on LGBTQIA+ Equal Pay Awareness Day

June 17. 2025

National Campaigns Director and Director of the Equal Pay Today campaign Deborah J. Vagins is featured in a Public News Service story today (which aired on radio stations across the country) speaking about LGBTQIA+ Equal Pay Awareness Day.

Deborah Vagins, national campaign director for Equal Rights Advocates and director of the Equal Pay Today campaign, said Department of Government Efficiency cuts have devastated agencies like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and the National Labor Relations Board.

“President Trump took the unprecedented action to fire officials at these independent agencies,” Vagins pointed out. “He’s laid off hundreds of staff; he’s effectively undermined enforcement protections, especially, for LGBTQIA employees.”

…

Vagins argued the new administration is sending the wrong signals so far.

“The recently re-nominated acting EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas has made it clear that she does not plan to fully enforce employment protections for transgender and nonbinary workers,” Vagins noted. “They had cases pending at the EEOC that have since been dropped.”

Listen to / read the story.