Senator Wants Gays Protected

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat from New York, said on Sunday that she would support amending the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include gays and lesbians.

"I would [be supportive of that]. I truly believe that this gay rights agenda is the civil rights march of our generation," Gillibrand told Towelroad.com. "I think marriage equality, I think repealing DOMA, 'don't ask, don't tell.' All of that work we're doing is part of equal rights in America and it is something that is so important to this generation."

Gillbrand, who replaced Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the Senate, spoke with the website during an appearance with LGBT activists in New York City.

"I think that kind of bill would be transformational... Whether we have the votes for that kind of bill today, I don't know. But it's something certainly worth fighting for," added the senator.

Among other guarantees, the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Currently there is no federal legislation that extends such protection to LGBT people, though the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, currently pending in Congress, would ensure such protections.