Chai Feldblum

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We believe that moral values matter in the governing of our polity. And we believe that Americans can articulate, and live up to, a more progressive set of moral values regarding sexuality, sexual orientation and gender equity. Sexuality can be a positive, important force in our lives. Heterosexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality are all morally neutral. But the love that is expressed by those who are straight, gay or bisexual is morally good – and all equally morally good. All forms of gender are morally neutral. But lack of gender equity is morally bad. [22]

She was the lead drafter of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would prohibit employment discrimination based on someone's real or perceived sexual orientation. [11] She also worked on passage of the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, and has testified before Congress on numerous occasions. [12]

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

In 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Feldblum for one of the seats on the five-member Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In response to attacks on her, Obama stated in an October 10 speech to the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign:

Nobody in America should be fired because they're gay, despite doing a great job and meeting their responsibilities. It's not fair, it's not right, we're going to put a stop to it. And it's for this reason if any of my nominees are attacked not for what they believe but for who they are, I will not waver in my support because I will not waver in my commitment to ending discrimination in all its forms. [23]

Following her nomination, Feldblum came under attack on various grounds. In testimony before the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Feldblum testified that claims that she believed in governmental endorsement of polygamy or polyamorous relationships were wrong, [24] consistent with her own writings in which she had always restricted such endorsement to non-sexual domestic partners. [25]

Obama made a recess appointment of Feldblum and three other nominees to the EEOC on March 27, 2010. [26] On December 22, 2010, the U.S. Senate confirmed Feldblum to the seat on the EEOC for a term expiring July 1, 2013. [4] She is openly lesbian and became the first openly LGBT person to serve on the EEOC. [27]

In 2013, Feldblum was nominated by President Obama to serve a second term on the EEOC, expiring on July 1, 2018. On December 9, 2013, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed for cloture on Feldblum's nomination. [28] On December 11, 2013, the Senate voted 57–39 to break the filibuster, paving the way for a final vote on Feldblum's nomination. On December 12, 2013, Feldblum was confirmed to a second term in a 54–41 vote. [5] Feldblum was nominated for a third term on the EEOC by President Donald Trump, but her nomination was blocked by Senator Mike Lee.

After the EEOC

In March 2019, Feldblum became a partner at the law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, stating to Bloomberg Law that the move from public service to a "Big Law management-side firm", considered unusual, was the best way to help employers implement the workplace harassment guidelines outlined by herself and Victoria Lipnic at the EEOC. She described the firm as "the place from which to help make that institutional change", of preventing harassment from happening in the workplace. [29] Feldblum left the firm in March 2021, after helping to expand the firm's DEI and respectful workplace practice.

In November 2020, Feldblum was named a volunteer member of the Joe Biden presidential transition Agency Review Team to support transition efforts related to the United States Department of Justice. [30]

AbilityOne Commission

President Joe Biden appointed Feldblum to the AbilityOne Commission in August 2021 and she was subsequently elected vice chair of the commission. [31] During Feldblum's first year on the commission, she helped develop a new strategic plan for the commission that would modernize the program.

Personal life

Feldblum is a lesbian. [32] She is married to Nan D. Hunter.

Select bibliography

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Professor of Pride: Georgetown Law's Nan Hunter wields academic activism, November 27, 2008. MetroWeekly [Washington, DC].. Accessed October 11, 2009.
  2. ↑ Biography: Chai Feldblum Archived 2009-03-17 at the Wayback Machine , Georgetown University Law Center. Accessed October 11, 2009.
  3. ↑ "Two Georgetown Law professors tapped by Obama administration | Vox Populi".
  4. 1 2 Keen, Lisa (2010-12-23). "Senate confirms Feldblum for EEOC". Keen News Service. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
  5. 1 2 "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 113th Congress - 1st Session". www.senate.gov.
  6. 1 2 Pollak, Suzanne (July 22, 2015). "Out in Front: Openly gay EEOC commissioner feels 'blessed'" (subscription required). Washington Jewish Week.
  7. ↑ "Paid Notice: Deaths: Feldblum, Professor Rabbi Mayer Simcha" (August 11, 2002). New York Times. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Rabbi Efrayim Eliezer Yolles, Samborer Rebbe of Philadelphia" (Geni.com user-contributed genealogical profile). Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  9. ↑ Penkower, Monty N. (December 1978). Review of The American Catholic and the Jewish State, 1917–1959, by Esther Yolles Feldblum. American Jewish History. Vol. 68, No. 2, p. 236-239. Preview via JSTOR (registration required for full text). See also product description for book on Amazon.com.
  10. 1 2 Orthodox-raised woman nominated as commissioner for EEOC, September 15, 2009. Voz iz neis? newspaper, Washington, DC. Accessed October 21, 2009.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Georgetown Law, Clinical Faculty and Staff: Chai R. Feldblum". Georgetown University. Archived from the original on October 14, 2011. Retrieved 2016-11-12.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Obama Nominates Chai Feldblum, LGBT/Equality Scholar, to EEOC Post Archived 2009-10-17 at the Wayback Machine , September 14, 2009. Retrieved October 11, 2009.
  13. ↑ Chai Feldblum Testimony Archived November 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine , May 12, 1999. United States House Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
  14. ↑ "Equality in Employment" (PDF). equalrightstrust.org. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Bio: Chai Feldblum Archived June 26, 2010, at the Wayback Machine , March 4, 2005. Yale Law School. Retrieved October 14, 2009.
  16. ↑ U.S. opposes court interference in gay troop ban, March 5, 1993. New York Times. Accessed October 11, 2009.
  17. ↑ No Easy Path for Legal Assault on New Gay Policy, July 25, 1992. New York Times. Accessed October 11, 2009.
  18. ↑ Campaign for Military Service: Ad Title "West" Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine , 1993. GLAAD Media Library. Accessed October 11, 2009.
  19. ↑ Workplace Flexibility 2010 Archived 2009-03-17 at the Wayback Machine , official site. Accessed October 11, 2009.
  20. ↑ Workplace Flexibility: Definition Archived 2009-04-01 at the Wayback Machine , official website. Accessed October 11, 2009.
  21. ↑ A Comprehensive Public Policy Platform on Flexible Work Arrangements: Executive Summary Archived 2009-05-17 at the Wayback Machine , 2004. Official website. Accessed October 11, 2009.
  22. ↑ Moral Values Project Archived 2009-10-17 at the Wayback Machine , official website. Accessed October 11, 2009.
  23. ↑ Obama Speaks to HRC, ThinkProgress.Org, October 10, 2009. Accessed October 11, 2009.
  24. ↑ "Hearing on Nominations for Commissioner and for General Counsel of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission | The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions". www.help.senate.gov. 19 November 2009.
  25. ↑ See "Gay is Good: The Moral Case for Marriage Equality and More", 17 Yale J.L. & Feminism 139-184 (2005).
  26. ↑ "President Obama Announces Recess Appointments to Key Administration Positions". whitehouse.gov . 27 March 2010. Archived from the original on 2017-01-27. Retrieved 2010-03-27– via National Archives.
  27. ↑ "Obama Nominates Lesbian Attorney for Second EEOC Term". www.advocate.com. May 24, 2013.
  28. ↑ "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 113th Congress - 1st Session". www.senate.gov.
  29. ↑ "EEOC's Feldblum One of Few Labor Officials to Cross Party Lines" by Stephanie Russell-Kraft, Bloomberg Law, March 14, 2019. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  30. ↑ "Agency Review Teams". President-Elect Joe Biden. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  31. ↑ "Former EEOC Official Feldblum Named to AbilityOne Commission (1)". news.bloomberglaw.com. August 13, 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  32. ↑ "Chai R. Feldblum". Washington Post. July 24, 2012. Archived from the original on December 25, 2017.
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Chai Feldblum
Chai Feldblum official photo.jpg
Feldblum's official EEOC photo
BornApril 1959 (1959-04) (age 64)
New York City
NationalityAmerican
Education Yeshiva University High School for Girls
Alma mater Barnard College Harvard University
Scientific career
Fields American law
Institutions Georgetown University Law Center
Commissioner of the United States AbilityOne Commission
(Private Citizen)
Assumed office
July 30, 2021