LOS ANGELES – A report released Thursday by the Williams Institute at the University of California Los Angeles School of Law noted that LGBTQ people would gain express protections under the Equality Act from sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination. “The Equality Act would provide clear federal civil rights protections to all LGBTQ people in the country,” said Christy Mallory, Legal Director at the Williams Institute. “It would be especially beneficial to those living in places without state-level protections and to LGBT people of color, who are particularly vulnerable to poverty, food insecurity, and homelessness.” LGBTQ people face discrimination in all areas of their lives.