WASHINGTON — The American Psychological Association applauded the Senate’s passage today of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a bill to outlaw job discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.

“APA has a long history of supporting workplace equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people,” said Gwendolyn Puryear Keita, PhD, APA’s executive director for public interest. “APA has pressed for ENDA’s passage for more than 15 years, based on the scientific evidence. Psychological research has found that people who accept and integrate their sexual orientation and gender identity into all facets of their lives are better adjusted psychologically than those who do not. Furthermore, research has consistently found that heterosexuals who personally know someone who is openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender have a more positive attitude toward LGBT people as a group.”

APA worked actively to help pass ENDA in the Senate and will continue to advocate for its passage in the House of Representatives until the bill becomes law, Keita said.

The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest organization of psychologists. APA's membership includes more than 134,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives.