July 1, 2021
White House Urges Congress to Swiftly Pass the Equality Act, Extend Civil Rights Protections to LGBTQ People with Support of Faith Leaders Across America
Nearly 2,000 Faith Leaders Across Nine States Organized Events, Sign-On Letters, and Other Outreach in Support of Federal LGBTQ Nondiscrimination Protections
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Wednesday, the White House hosted Faith Voices for the Equality Act — a virtual gathering with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine, and faith leaders from across the country — to celebrate the last day of Pride month and encourage Congress to pass the Equality Act. The Equality Act is federal legislation that would modernize and improve our nation’s civil rights laws by including explicit, permanent protections for LGBTQ people, as well as women, people of color and different national origins, and people of all faiths.
This event follows on the work of thousands of faith leaders in states who have organized on-the-ground events, sign-on letters, and other efforts in June to call on senators to support the urgent passage of the landmark civil rights legislation. From in-person events in states like Ohio and West Virginia, to virtual roundtable discussions in states like Maine, faith voices of nearly every denomination are making the faith case for the Equality Act, mobilizing faith communities to make their voices heard.
Among the efforts organized this month are a series of sign-on letters, uniting faith leaders in their calls for action — including nearly 500 in Florida, more than 110 in West Virginia, more than 200 in Ohio, more than 90 in Alaska, more than 130 in North Carolina, more than 40 in New York, more than 100 in Indiana, more than 150 in Pennsylvania, and more than 100 in Iowa.
The faith-led events and efforts organized in nearly a dozen states urging support for the Equality Act include:
Alaska — Nearly 100 faith voices across the state are calling on Sen. Murkowski and Sullivan to support the Equality Act, signing onto a letter urging support. On June 30, faith leaders convened for an in-person event, which featured top faith voices, including the Rev. Michael Burke of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.
Florida — Nearly 500 faith leaders in Central Florida convened to call on elected officials to honor the 49 lives taken at Pulse five years ago this month by supporting federal nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ Americans. “The country needs bipartisan cooperation and solutions to the ongoing discrimination of LGBTQ people. I’m praying that Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott will help lead the way by supporting federal legislation that provides equal protection from discrimination to all,” said Rev. Dr. Joel Hunter, Chairman, Community Resource Network, who helped lead the delegation. Additionally, faith voices across the state have joined in the effort, sharing op-eds in support of the Equality Act in outlets like Florida Today.
Indiana — More than 100 faith leaders across Indiana have signed onto a letter calling on Sen. Young and Braun to support the Equality Act. “We are all made in the image of our creator and therefore believe all people should be treated with dignity and respect,” said Rev. Jeffrey L. Bower, Assoc. Rector for Stewardship and Community Engagement at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. “It’s surprising and shocking to realize that in this day and age, it's actually still legal in many states to fire a hardworking employee, deny them an apartment, refuse service in a restaurant, and otherwise discriminate. As people of faith, we support all families working and living in our community. We need a law that protects LGBTQ Americans in every zip code across our nation.”
Iowa — More than 100 faith leaders in Iowa have signed onto a letter calling for urgent passage of the Equality Act. “We are all God's children and worthy of being treated with dignity and respect. That's why I’m proud to join this diverse list of more than 100 faith leaders across Iowa calling for LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination protections for all Americans,” said Rev. Gary Sneller, (retired) of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. “Together we are sending a unified message to our elected officials that no one should face mistreatment because of who they are, who they love, or where they live.”
Maine — Faith leaders across Maine came together for a virtual roundtable to call on Sens. Collins and King to pass the Equality Act. “I like to tell folks that we all deserve the rights to have equal protection under the law. Plain and simple. I don't care who the person is, what they look like, who they love, it does not matter. We all have that right to equal protection under the law,” said Rev. Gwen Fry, Episcopal Priest from Waldoboro, Maine. “The reason that I, as a faith leader, am here today is because my faith and my church made it possible for me to transition and become the wonderful human being I think I am. So please respect the dignity of every human being and respect the rights of all people, regardless of who they are.”
North Carolina — More than 130 faith leaders across the state have united in their call on Sens. Burr and Tillis to pass the Equality Act, signing onto a letter calling for its urgent passage, including Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman, who penned an op-ed in The Herald-Sun asserting, “Supporting fundamental protections for all Americans is important to people of faith like me because LGBTQ Americans are our friends, our neighbors, our family members, and our coworkers. For many Americans, values like treating others fairly, equally, and with respect are rooted in faith and religious teachings – and many of us support comprehensive nondiscrimination protections because of our faith, not in spite of it.”
Ohio — Last week, Ohio faith leaders gathered in Cincinnati to host a press event calling on Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) to take action to protect LGBTQ Ohioans by passing the Equality Act. The event’s speakers were part of a larger group of more than 200 faith voices from across Ohio who recently signed onto a letter calling for urgent support for the Equality Act.
Pennsylvania — More than 150 faith voices across Pennsylvania are mobilizing to urge Sen. Toomey to pass the Equality Act, signing onto a letter urging support for the legislation. Faith leaders convened yesterday to hold a virtual event including Reverend Brandan Robertson (Faith Organizer, Bradbury-Sulivan LGBT Community Center), Reverend Naomi Washington-Leapheart (Director of Faith-Based and Interfaith Affairs, City of Philadelphia), Sister Jeannine Gramick (Founder, New Ways Ministries), Reverend Dr. Bonnie Bates (Conference Minister, Penn Northeast Conference, United Church of Christ), Reverend Dr. Richard McCarty (Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Mercyhurst University), Reverend James Williams (Pastor, First Baptist Church of Philadelphia).
West Virginia — More than 110 faith voices across the state have united in their call on Sens. Manchin and Capito to support the Equality Act, signing onto a letter urging support. Last week, faith voices convened on Wednesday at First Presbyterian Church in Morgantown and on Thursday in Charleston to hold events featuring top faith voices, including Rev. Ron English (Ferguson Memorial Baptist in Huntington, covered by The Dominion Post,12 WBOY, and other local outlets.
The faith leaders are joining the majority of Americans, hundreds of members of Congress, and more than 600 organizations, including civil rights, education, health care, and faith-based organizations, in endorsing the Equality Act. More than 400 major U.S. businesses – including dozens of Fortune 500 companies – and more than 60 business associations have also publicly supported the federal legislation.
Currently, 29 states do not have laws that explicitly protect LGBTQ people from discrimination. Without the Equality Act, LGBTQ Americans remain vulnerable to being evicted from their homes, kicked out of a business that’s open to the public, denied health care, or denied government services in a majority of states simply because of who they are.
The Equality Act also expands protections to millions of women who aren’t covered under existing federal anti-discrimination laws and expands the types of public spaces and services that can’t discriminate against people of color and people of all faiths — ensuring that women cannot be charged more by a dry cleaner for cleaning a shirt; that taxis and car-sharing services cannot refuse service to Black people; or that an accountant cannot refuse to work for someone because he disagrees with their religion.
Freedom & Opportunity For All is a national campaign advocating for the urgent passage of the Equality Act — historic federal legislation that would modernize and improve our nation’s civil rights laws by including explicit, permanent protections for LGBTQ people, as well as women, people of color, and people of all faiths. The campaign — supported by hundreds of the nation’s top leaders in civil rights, faith, education, health care, and advocacy — is co-founded and led by 16 of the nation’s leading advocates for equality, including Center for American Progress; Equality Federation; Freedom for All Americans; GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders; GLSEN; Human Rights Campaign; Lambda Legal; National Black Justice Coalition; National Center for Lesbian Rights; National Center for Transgender Equality; National LGBTQ Task Force; National Women's Law Center; PFLAG National; SAGE; Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund; and The Trevor Project. More information can be found at www.PassTheEqualityAct.com.