Federal Insider: Obama urged to issue directive against anti-gay bias in federal contracting

With all the advances made on the LGBT front in recent years, you might think that fight has been won.

Yet closets remain in Uncle Sam’s space. Walter works in one, figuratively.

Walter is a government contractor on an Army facility. He runs a small, Florida consulting firm. He’s gay and he doesn’t want Sam to know.

“What would happen if I came out, I’m not 100 percent sure,” he said, “but I don’t recognize a lot of messages that it’s all right.”

That why Walter and the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) want President Obama to order federal agencies not to discriminate against LGBT companies. In an era in which they can marry, and openly serve in the military, Congress and high federal positions, some gay contractors still fear that they could lose federal business if their sexual orientation were known.

Citing several barriers broken “largely to the Obama Administration’s efforts,” a NGLCC policy memo says “the next step to cementing this Administration’s legacy as the most proequality in our nation’s history is prohibiting discrimination against LGBT Business Enterprises (LGBTBEs) in federal procurement and subcontracting.” NGLCC estimates that the nation has 1.4 million LGBT-owned businesses.

NGLCC pointed to federal goals for awarding government contracts to women, disabled veterans and disadvantaged people, including those affected by racism, but noted “no such goals are in place for LGBTBEs.” The organization’s effort is backed by letters to Obama from 44 members of Congress and 17 LGBT groups.

Ironically, an Obama 2014 executive order prohibited companies doing business with the government from discriminating against gay workers. But it didn’t prohibit federal agencies from discriminating against LGBT companies.

“In too many workplaces, simply being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender can still be a fireable offense,” Obama said then. “But I’m going to do what I can, with the authority I have, to act.”

He can use that authority to ensure that federal agencies don’t discriminate against gay-run companies. But will he? Time is running out.

“Thank God for the Obama administration,” Walter said. “As a gay guy, so much has changed in the last eight years.”

But not so much that Walter feels free to be who he is. That’s why he won’t allow his full name to be used here. Obama is on the right side, Walter said, adding that he isn’t sure all of Sam’s procurement and contracting officers are.