Congress reintroduces discriminatory, deceptively named 'Equality Act'

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom CEO, President, and General Counsel Kristen Waggoner regarding the U.S. Congress’s reintroduction Wednesday of the deceptively named “Equality Act,” legislation that threatens religious freedom, fairness and safety for women and girls, and the ability of everyday Americans to live in alignment with their beliefs:

“Our nation’s laws should respect the constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of every American citizen. The deceptively named ‘Equality Act’ hides behind promises of tolerance and empowerment, but, in practice, it threatens real harm to women and children and discriminates against religious communities and individuals. The Equality Act is a direct attack on the truth that every person is either male or female. Government promotion of radical gender-identity ideology is endangering children, violating parents’ and women’s rights, and eroding our constitutionally protected freedom to think, speak, and act according to our consciences. We’ve seen growing instances nationwide of the devastating harms of policies like the Equality Act. Young women are being forced to compete against males in sports. Female students are punished when they object to their male classmates’ presence in showers and locker rooms. Abused women can’t sleep in peace in homeless shelters when they are forced to lie next to men. Courageous teachers are being disciplined for refusing to lie to students about biological sex. Religious schools and service organizations are punished for operating consistent with the faith that inspired them to serve their communities. The freedom to live peaceably according to our beliefs is a fundamental right, resting in our human dignity and codified by the First Amendment. The Equality Act dares to treat reasonable people as hostile to the state and unfit to participate in the marketplace. Our nation can and must do better.”

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.

# # #