Image credit: Image by Denis Hiza from Pixabay
A few days ago, the American LGBTQ community had reason to celebrate as the United States House of Representatives passed the Equality Act, which extends protection to LGBTQ people from discrimination in public accommodations, the workplace, housing, and other settings. It took four years since the bill was first introduced in 2015 before a 236-173 vote led by Democrats finally ld to its passage in the House.
The Equality Act expands the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and a number of other laws so that they all work together in banning discrimination in public places, schools, employment, finances, and housing on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.
During her floor speech, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said “No one should lose their job because of who they are or who they love. Today, and for all days, we say to all of our friends: We see you, we support you, we stand with you with pride. This is progress for America.”
However, a tougher battle awaits in the Senate, as it is controlled by Republicans generally opposed to expanding rights for members of the LGBTQ community. Commentators from the conservative side of the aisle have already claimed that the bill would result in “the nation’s downfall” and the “federal prosecution of Christians.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already lowered the possibility of the Equality Act passing the Senate, telling Buzzfeed News through a spokesperson that there are “no scheduling announcements regarding Senate action.”
If no vote is held in the Senate, the Equality Act is expected to die. Trump also opposed the bill, further bringing down its chances of getting passed.
Adam4Adam blog readers, are you optimistic about the Equality Act’s chances of passing through the Senate? Tell us your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
An Equality Bill could easily be passed if it balanced the rights of LGTBQ individuals with the rights of those with religious beliefs. If “equality” applied to all … if everyone would compromise a bit, suck it up a bit … we’d all be better off. Liberal Leaders, and Conservative leaders and militant activists on both sides, however, have no interest in coming to agreement there.
The Laws already ban discrimination. What the Bill cannot do, and no Bill can do, is force those who disagree. You cannot legislate righteousness. This “Bill” is just another attempt by the Democrats to ensure votes for the next Presidential Election. No place of employment, with any sense of longevity, is going to practice overt discrimination; they would not stay in business. They would be sued out of existence. The Press, The Liberals, would see to it! What is committed, sublimely, is Human Nature, and Human Nature will do what it wants. All this “forced legislation” will do is make… Read more »
“Persecution of Christians”? That should have read – persecution of offenders. Certainly no Christian would commit such an offense – it certainly would not be a very Christian thing to do.
Its times like this that people who think that if this bill dies its all the fault of trump and the evil republicans…wrong…the reason it will fail is because of the democrats resist movement. How can you think after they continue all these stupid investigations and not passing other laws that the other side wants would they now help them with this. Point here the democrats are failing us folks ..open your eyes..they need to stop all this resist bullshit and start working with the administration so the in turn the administration will work with them ….thus helping us. We… Read more »
I agree with Nathan to the extent that somebody else’s rights end at mine and vice-versa. You don’t have a right to work for me if I don’t want you to and I have no right to hire you if you don’t want to work for me. You have no right to fuck my lovely ass if I don’t want you to and I have no right to force you to fuck my lovely ass if you don’t want to. See how that works? I don’t, however, associate all churches with morality nor do I consider all laws ethical but… Read more »
Libertarian Queer: It is ,unfortunate, that I gave you the impression that I would compromise freedom; rather, I have learned that freedom carried its own imprisonment: Freedom is a double-edged sword: it cuts both ways…too much freedom invites chaos/too little freedom invites stagnation. For freedom to work and be beneficial, it has to be realistic and applied…accordingly. Pluralism, as it has become known, in this county, is everyone wants to be heard and seen, regardless of the validly of what is heard and what is seen. We are not all equal that was/is idealism and Humans are not ideal; we… Read more »
The movement is not helped by people who insist on forcing people to provide wedding cakes when they don’t believe in gay marriage. You’ve allowed bigots to look like victims.
Amazing how people even have to overthink a just law that would actually avoid employers from getting sued for practicing discrimination out in the open to LGBTQ. Most of these ‘Freedom of religion’ crowd don’t just want religious freedom (which they already have, this is really a free country in that sense, you can go to any church you want and nobody would stop you from doing so), they just want extra special rights, and feel entitled to discriminate as they see fit under the excuse ‘my faith is against that’ rubbish. I swear Trump and Pence really brainwashed the… Read more »
Just pandering politicians. They would sacrifice a child on the alter of political whoreness just to get a vote. How about a better idea, one from the original meaning of Stonewall, get the government the hell out of our beds and our lives!
EVERYTHING, seems like a roll-back in this country, it’s like retracing your steps, in reverse, known as back-tracking, regressive. One, of the very things I utterly hate about Republicans. I mean, why, why do they need such suffering, bondage, inhumanity, humiliation, devastation? Still, while claiming the “God/Christian-thing, utter righteousness.” All this time, energy, money spent moving forward, hell, man, its like a fucking board-game, where you have to revisit the fight, same issues, that should no longer be such. Issues of/about FREEDOM for all Americans, weather; black, gay, female, poor, etc. Freedoms from the oldest oppressions, since the days of… Read more »
too give things to some you must take away things from another group, a rockhound .. must put down a marble, and pick up a rock, after they have lost all thier MARBLES THEY ARE ROCKHOUND’S NUFF… SAID !
There is no place in our Constitution that requires that citizens should have to balance their civil rights and their right to equal justice under the law with others personal “religious beliefs”. There will be no “compromise” with those whose “religious beliefs” choose to denigrate and discriminate against the gay community. Religious beliefs are a choice… usually inculcated into the individual as a child by clergy who claim to be “speaking for God” but far more often simply using the trust of their congregants to manipulate and control them. No one is born with “religious beliefs”, they are learned behavior.… Read more »