“ON TO THE SENATE, NOW THE BIPARTISAN EFFORT TO PROTECT LGBTQ PEOPLE CONTINUES.”
February 25, 2021, Washington DC | The following statement can be attributed to Kierra Johnson, Executive Director, National LGBTQ Task Force:
“We applaud the House vote on the Equality Act, and we now look to the Senate and begin in earnest what should be a bipartisan effort to protect LGBTQ people. This is what we know: LGBTQ people in 29 states are not protected by anti-discrimination laws. This patchwork of equality is undefendable the Equality Act must be passed by the Senate so all LGBTQ Americans will be protected from discrimination.
It could not be more clear: it is time to expand current civil rights laws to include LGBTQ people, women, people of color and people of faith who are vulnerable to discrimination. The Equality Act can right this wrong and take the country one step closer to living its promise of ‘liberty and justice for all’ and truly mean it.
It is essential that we look at the context of the national conversation about LGBTQ discrimination that the Equality Act has provided us as we move forward. The reality is that many Americans believe LGBTQ people already have protections in these areas and we must work to raise awareness of the facts: half of the LGBTQ people in the U.S. can be fired by employers based on their bias against who they are or who they love. Once informed, the data is also clear: 70% or more American support these protections for LGBTQ people. Our elected officials need to catch up to public opinion and do the right thing.
One other vital area of support that is often lost in this conversation is the overwhelming support of faith communities. Solid majorities of all major religious groups in the U.S. support laws protecting LGBT people from discrimination in housing, public accommodations, and the workplace.
The National LGBTQ Task Force will work today and every day until we see the Equality Act passed and we can address the discrimination LGBTQ people experience as well as the numerous other hurdles our community faces in other aspects of our lives, including economic and racial equity, access to healthcare, and the freedom to be themselves in every aspect of their lives.
References: https://www.prri.org/research/americans-support-protections-lgbt-people
The National LGBTQ Task Force advances full freedom, justice, and equity for LGBTQ people. We are building a future where everyone can be free to be their entire selves in every aspect of their lives. Today, despite all the progress we’ve made to end discrimination, millions of LGBTQ people face barriers in every aspect of their lives: in housing, employment, healthcare, retirement, and basic human rights. For more information go to https://www.thetaskforce.org.
Contact: Cathy Renna, Communications Director, National LGBTQ Task Force, [email protected], 917-757-6123