The Equality Act is a landmark piece of legislation that would expand federal civil rights laws to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in employment, housing, credit, jury service, and federally funded programs, such as those for health and education, as well as public places and spaces. (Source: Center for American Progress)
Nondiscrimination protections are sorely needed. A nationally representative 2020 survey from the Center for American Progress revealed that 1 in 3 LGBTQ Americans, including 3 in 5 transgender Americans, experienced discrimination in just the past year. Evidence demonstrates that discrimination has adverse effects on physical and mental health as well as basic economic security.
There is currently no federal legislation protecting LGBTQ Americans against discrimination, and 27 states lack a state anti-discrimination law. While recent rulings prohibit housing and employment discrimination, they do not prohibit discrimination in education, health care, or public accommodations and services.
The Equality Act advances fair treatment for LGBTQ people, women, people of color, and people of faith. The Equality Act would meaningfully expand civil rights protections for many Americans and advance equal treatment for LGBTQ people, women, people of faith, and people of color. The concrete benefits of the landmark civil rights laws that it would amend are clear—it’s time to extend these benefits equally to all.
The Equality Act would provide consistent and explicit non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people across key areas of life, including employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs, and jury service.
The Equality Act would amend existing civil rights law—including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Fair Housing Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Jury Selection and Services Act, and several laws regarding employment with the federal government—to explicitly include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics. The legislation also amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination in public spaces and services and federally funded programs on the basis of sex.
Tuesday, June 22, 2021 | 3:00 pm PST / 6:00 pm EST
Join IGNITE for a virtual event and celebration of LGBTQIA+ leaders past and present.