Trump signs trade deal that includes protections for LGBTQ people

President Donald Trump has signed a trade agreement with Mexico and Canada that includes nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people. Several Republicans were willing to scrap Trump’s trade deal over the inclusive language.

Article 23.9 asks member states to eliminate sex discrimination in the workplace. The paragraph specifies that sex discrimination includes sexual orientation and gender identity.

Parties recognize the goal of eliminating sex-based discrimination in employment and occupation, and support the goal of promoting equality of women in the workplace. Accordingly, each Party shall implement policies that protect workers against employment discrimination on the basis of sex, including with regard to pregnancy, sexual harassment, sexual orientation, gender identity, and caregiving responsibilities, provide job-protected leave for birth or adoption of a child and care of family members, and protect against wage discrimination.

“A trade agreement is no place for the adoption of social policy,” over 40 House Republicans wrote in a letter to Trump. “It is especially inappropriate and insulting to our sovereignty to needlessly submit to social policies which the United States Congress has so far explicitly refused to accept.”

The language in the trade agreement is “contradictory” to the administration’s vicious attacks on LGBTQ rights.

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Related: Sean Spicer confirms Trump’s pro-LGBTQ stance during convention speech was all a scam

“We succeeded at getting gender discrimination, more broadly, included in the deal,” said a Canadian official. “We viewed it as important to get gender identity included in the agreement. It’s a win for us.”

There are no penalties for not enforcing the provision, so don’t look for Trump to stop persecuting LGBTQ people any time soon.