The government abandoned LGBTQ+ workers. Its former civil rights lawyers stepped up.

September 8, 2025

In response to the Trump administration's actions affecting civil rights protections, former EEOC officials have organized two watchdog groups: EEO Leaders and Pride in Exile. These organizations emerged after the EEOC withdrew from seven gender-identity discrimination cases and following executive orders targeting DEI programs and gender identity protections. The groups monitor EEOC activities, preserve documents being removed from government websites, provide "know your rights" trainings, and offer legal guidance to workers and employers.

Who is affected

LGBTQ+ workers, particularly transgender individuals whose discrimination cases were abandoned by the EEOC
Federal employees in disbanded Pride and other affinity groups across government agencies
Employers seeking guidance on compliance with civil rights laws amid changing policies
Workers from protected classes potentially impacted by limitations on disparate-impact cases
General public who rely on access to civil rights information and protections
Muslim American workers and other religious minorities protected by previous EEOC cases

What action is being taken

EEO Leaders is monitoring EEOC decisions and providing public responses to actions they consider improper
Pride in Exile is hosting "know your rights" trainings for LGBTQ+ workers including federal employees
Both groups are preserving EEOC documents and other federal information being removed from government websites
Former EEOC officials are planning to file friend-of-the-court briefs in civil rights litigation
The groups are maintaining encrypted communications to coordinate their oversight efforts
EEO Leaders is sending public letters challenging EEOC leadership actions, such as letters sent to law firms about DEI-related discrimination

Why it matters

The EEOC has historically secured landmark civil rights settlements with a success rate above 90 percent
Recent Supreme Court rulings like Bostock v. Clayton County established that Civil Rights Act protections include sexual orientation and gender identity
The EEOC's actions appear to contradict established legal precedent and may threaten civil rights protections
Without EEOC representation, workers face significant barriers to pursuing discrimination cases on their own
The organizations provide critical information to employers who want to maintain fair workplace practices
The preservation of documents ensures continued public access to important civil rights information despite government website changes

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The 19th