'Fairness for All' proposal isn't fair at all
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Vice President of U.S. Legal Division Kristen Waggoner regarding the decisions of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and the National Association of Evangelicals to support so-called “Fairness for All” legislation that claims to protect religious liberty but would actually undermine it:“Every person should be treated with dignity and respect. Unfortunately, sexual orientation and gender identity laws like the so-called ‘Fairness for All’ proposal undermine both fairness and freedom. This proposal is a SOGI law under different branding, with special—and likely temporary—exemptions that protect only a favored few.
“This proposal would empower the government to force people who willingly serve everyone to promote messages and participate in events that conflict with their faith or convictions. Worse, it would put women and girls in harm’s way. In Alaska, the city of Anchorage is currently using a similar law to force a women’s shelter to allow biological men who identify as women to sleep just three feet away from victims of rape, sex trafficking, and domestic violence.
“The freedom to live peacefully according to our beliefs, and to follow the dictates of our conscience, is a pre-political right, resting in our dignity as human beings, and codified by the First Amendment. It cannot be bought or sold, and it must not be surrendered. We can live at peace with each other without forcing anyone to sacrifice their freedom. Indeed, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled twice—in the Obergefell and Masterpiece Cakeshop decisions—that the government must respect the belief that marriage is between one man and one woman. Rather than respecting all sides, the so-called ‘Fairness for All’ proposal denies freedom for all and makes conformity the price of citizenship.”
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.
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ABOUT Kristen Waggoner
As the CEO, president, and general counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom, Kristen Waggoner leads the faith-based organization in advancing the God-given right to live and speak the truth in the U.S. and around the world. She oversees more than 450 ADF team members in eight global offices. Since 2011, ADF has won 15 cases at the U.S. Supreme Court, three of which were argued by Waggoner: Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, Uzuebgunam v. Presczewski,and 303 Creative v. Elenis. ADF also has a strong record of international success at the European Court of Human Rights, United Nations, and other leading courts and tribunals and has secured the release of more than 1,000 imprisoned Christians. After clerking with Washington Supreme Court Justice Richard B. Sanders, Waggoner practiced law for over 16 years at a Seattle firm before joining ADF in 2013. She is Peer Review Rated AV® Preeminent™ in Martindale-Hubbell. Waggoner is a sought-after public speaker who often appears in national and international media outlets.