Major League Baseball has adopted a new policy to strengthen protections based on sexual orientation. Baseball will officially announce the policy during Tuesday's All-Star Game in New York, reported the Associated Press.
"We welcome all individuals regardless of sexual orientation into our ballparks, along with those of different races, religions, genders and national origins," Commissioner Bud Selig said, according to AP. "Both on the field and away from it, Major League Baseball has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation."
Under the new policy, the league will create a workplace code of conduct and distribute it to every major league and minor league player, provide new training sessions and create a centralized complaint system to report any harassment and discrimination, AP said. The policies will also be posted in every locker room.
The league adopted the new policy along with the players' union and New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who helped draft a similar policy with the NFL earlier this year.
"Our national pastime is showing national leadership in the fight to promote equal justice for all," Schneiderman said.
This is good news and it's significant that this is being announced in conjunction with the All-Star Game. It shows baseball is embracing the new policy by promoting during such a high-profile event, held this year in New York.
