Story at a glance
- LGBTQ+ people in over half of the country are still missing basic protections, and in 29 states may still be denied housing, medical care and service at places like restaurants.
- The Equality Act, passed by the House exactly one year ago, remains stalled in the Senate.
- House leaders on Friday called on the Senate to take action.
On the anniversary of the House’s passage of the Equality Act, LGBTQ+ people in over half of the country are still missing basic protections.
Individuals identifying as LGBTQ+ in 29 states may still be denied housing, medical care and service at places like restaurants, hair salons and even rideshares, the Human Rights Campaign said this week.
The Equality Act, passed by the House exactly one year ago, would build on existing civil rights laws to protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination in all 50 states. It remains stalled in the Senate, where its fate is still uncertain.
In the absence of federal legislation, states – and even some municipalities – have taken it upon themselves to address discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, though piecemeal efforts have laid nationwide equality on uneven ground.
In 22 states and the District of Columbia, workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is prohibited, according to an HRC tally, but in six states, only public employees are protected.
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While housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is banned in 21 states and D.C., in one state – Wisconsin – only discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibited.
States are increasingly addressing discrimination against LGBTQ+ elementary and high school students, according to the HRC, with 18 states and D.C. explicitly prohibiting discrimination against students based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Another two states have only outlawed discrimination based only on sexual orientation, but the overwhelming majority – 30 states – have no nondiscrimination protections in place for LGBTQ+ students at all.
“From housing and educational discrimination to denial of government and health services, LGBTQ+ people are confronted by hurdles to simply exist every day,” Joni Madison, interim president of the HRC, said in a statement.
Madison referenced the more than 200 anti-LGBTQ+ bills currently moving through state legislatures, which progressive lawmakers have criticized as ploys by conservatives to score political points.
“Something is seriously wrong when state legislatures around the country are attacking LGBTQ+ rights for political purposes, forcing families to pack up their homes and move to another state so their children can have equal rights and legal protections,” she said. “This needs to change.”
On Friday, the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, headed by the Equality Act’s sponsor Rep. David Cicilline (D-CA), called on the Senate to help the bill become law.
“On today’s one-year anniversary of House passage of the Equality Act, I call on the Senate to take immediate action on this legislation,” Cicilline, whose LGBTQ+ human rights bill was approved by the House earlier this month, said in a statement. “We are witnessing a horrific wave of local legislation across the country that is targeting LGBTQ+ children and the transgender community.”
“The Equality Act remains the best option to address anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination and ensure that LGBTQ+ Americans are afforded the same rights and responsibilities as all other Americans,” he said. “We need to act – now.”
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