Support the Equality Act to Protect LGBTQ+ People from Discrimination

I am writing to urge you to support the Equality Act, H.R. 15 and S. 1503, which would update the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to explicitly ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This legislation is essential to close a dangerous gap in our civil rights protections that leaves millions of Americans vulnerable to discrimination. While the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects people from discrimination based on race, skin color, sex, religion, and national origin, it does not explicitly protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. In 27 states without robust LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination laws, LGBTQ people can legally be fired, harassed at work, barred from businesses, and denied housing simply because of who they are or whom they love. This is unacceptable in a nation that values equality and justice. LGBTQ people continue to face significant violence and discrimination in the workplace, in the housing market, and in everyday interactions. The Equality Act would remedy this by extending civil rights protections to include gender identity and sexual orientation as protected characteristics. The legislation would also revise the Civil Rights Act to ban sex-based discrimination in public spaces and services such as retail stores, pharmacies, and transit, as well as in federally funded programs. The conservative majority on the Supreme Court has been eroding LGBTQ+ rights, making congressional action more urgent than ever. While Congress took an important step by passing the Respect for Marriage Act in 2022 to protect same-sex marriage, we must build on that momentum by codifying comprehensive nondiscrimination protections into law. I ask that you cosponsor and vote in favor of the Equality Act to secure national-level protections for LGBTQ+ people and ensure that all Americans can live free from discrimination. Civil rights should not depend on which state someone lives in.