In restaurants, restrooms, housing, schools, banks
Right now, there are no federal protections for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. And while many states have laws on the books to ensure those protections, in more than half of the states in our union, transphobic and homophobic discrimination are still legal.
Tomorrow, I will proudly join my colleagues in the House in voting to pass the Equality Act, which would expand the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that the Civil Rights Act's workplace protections include members of our LGBTQIA+ community. That landmark decision was an important step toward equality – but still just a step.
Tomorrow, we will fight for those same protections in restrooms, restaurants, housing, schools, banks, and public accommodations – even buying a cake.
All Americans should have the fundamental right to feel safe in their communities without fear of being fired, evicted, denied, or discriminated against because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
I'm proud to stand with our LGBTQIA+ community members, and I will continue to fight to end discrimination, inequity, and injustice.
Courage,
Earl