Opposing the
Equality Act
Oppose equality act:
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discriminates against persons of faith;
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eliminates religious freedom protections;
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mandates abortion participation;
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overrides science and medical judgment;
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replaces free speech with viewpoint coercion;
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endangers and eliminates opportunities for girls and women.
Equality Act - H.R. 5, S. 393
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The Equality Act threatens religious freedom and treats people of faith as bigots and lawbreaking discriminators, by disallowing application of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
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The Act overrules medical judgment and science with government mandates, by enforcing compliance with a gender ideology that contradicts biology.
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The Act amends and violates the original purpose of the Civil Rights Act, by adding individuals to protected classes on the basis of psychological and decisional factors rather than on the basis of immutable qualities such as race.
Bill text excerpts
* Applies to many: "…any establishment that provides a good, service, or program, including a store, shopping center, online retailer or service provider, salon, bank, gas station, food bank, service or care center, shelter, travel agency, or funeral parlor, or establishment that provides health care, accounting, or legal services…."
* Applies to pregnancy: "The term ‘sex’ includes—(A) a sex stereotype; (B) pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition…." "…(with respect to sex) pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition shall not receive less favorable treatment than other physical conditions…."
* No faith exemptions: "The Religious Freedom Restoration Act shall not provide a claim concerning, or … a basis for challenging the application or enforcement of a covered title."
* No biology: "…by inserting '(including sexual orientation and gender identity),' after 'sex,' each place that term appears…."
* No dissent: "…discrimination against a married same-sex couple could be based on the sex stereotype that marriage should only be between heterosexual couples."
* No protection: "…an individual shall not be denied access to a shared facility, including a restroom, a locker room, and a dressing room, that is in accordance with the individual's gender identity."
What the Equality Act would do
This bill would change the definition of "sex discrimination" from its historical basis in biology (i.e., male/female) to instead include subjective ideological factors such as gender identity and sexual orientation. The bill would impose legal penalties against anyone who does not share this ideology. It would:
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penalize health professionals who decline, on the basis of medical research and/or ethical convictions, to participate in gender reassignment surgeries or hormonal treatments for children or adults;
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mandate opening up girls' and women's locker rooms, domestic abuse shelters and other facilities to biological males who identify as female;
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put females at an unfair physical disadvantage in sports, forcing them to compete against biological males who identify as female.
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eliminate for all Americans the application of Religious Freedom Restoration Act faith, conscience and speech protections.
To stop Congress from passing this incredibly dangerous bill, use this editable message. Feel free to mention your own qualifications (e.g., parent, health professional, educator, etc.), views and experience.
Thank you for taking the time to take a stand.
Equality Act bill text - 117th Congress
What health professionals say
"We oppose this bill as health professionals who endeavor to treat all patients with respect and compassion, in accordance with sound medical judgment and ethics."
--Freedom2Care and Christian Medical Association
Freedom2Care, CMA letter to Senate
"Just as my conscience requires me to treat the women in my care as I would want to be treated, it also requires me not to do things to them that are immoral or against my best medical judgment." --Dr. Regina Frost
Dr. Regina Frost testimony
"I serve all patients, no matter their background, religion, political views, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status." --Dr. Joy Draper
Dr. Joy Draper testimony
"National polling shows nearly all health professionals of faith like myself care for all patients in need, even when we cannot validate their choices. Conscience protections are vital to our practice of medicine."
--Dr. Andre Van Mol
Dr. Andre Van Mol testimony
Commentaries
Equality Act would trample on doctors' religious freedom
Jonathan Imbody, Freedom2Care
Published in the Washington Examiner, Mar. 29, 2021
Imagine you are a family physician who entered medical school motivated by the teachings of your faith: to help and bring healing to others.
In medical school, you determined to adhere to the "do no harm" ethical bedrock of the Hippocratic oath: "I will use treatment to help the sick, according to my ability and judgment, but I will never use it to injure or wrong them."
Throughout your medical career, you have treated all your patients with compassion and respect, and you have followed scientific evidence in exercising medical judgment.
But then, one fateful day, the radical federal Equality Act takes effect nationwide.
Sen. James Lankford's opposition
The Equality Act v. Religious Freedom
H.R. 5 Is No Act of Equality
Emilie Kao, Heritage Foundation
The proposed Equality Act (H.R. 5) turns sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) into protected classes under the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1968 Fair Housing Act. The bill creates obvious liberty, equality, privacy, and safety concerns. H.R. 5 would empower the federal government to impose civil and criminal punishments on citizens who dissent from SOGI ideology, including medical professionals, parents, women and girls, businesses, and charities. The bill would violate their rights to freedom of conscience, religion, and speech. The bill would also take away basic authorities of local communities to determine who is allowed in single-sex facilities and whether biological men and boys are allowed to join women’s and girls’ sports teams. Read more...
How The Equality Act Harms Parents and Children
7 Reasons Why the Equality Act Is Anything But
Monica Burke, Heritage Foundation
Most Americans don’t want a nationwide bathroom requirement, health care mandate, or “preferred pronoun” law based on gender identity, but congressional Democrats seem to think it’s time to impose them.
Nancy Pelosi delivered Wednesday on her promise to introduce the so-called Equality Act, which would elevate sexual orientation and gender identity to protected classes in federal anti-discrimination law.
Although that may sound nice in theory, in practice sexual orientation and gender identity policies at the state and local level have caused profound harms to Americans from all walks of life.
How might a sexual orientation and gender identity law on the federal level, as introduced in the House and Senate, affect you and your community? Here are seven ways: Read more...
Interviews
Panel Discussions
Medical Risks of Hormonal and Surgical Interventions for Gender Dysphoric Children
Gender Dysphoria in Children:
Understanding the Science and Medicine
The Inequality of the Equality Act:
Concerns from the Left
Impact on Sports
Senate Hearing: March 17, 2021
"When gender identity is privileged over biological sex, females lose. It’s that simple." --Attorney Mary Hasson, EPPC
Testimony of Mary Hasson
Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center
"Just last week, after the Washington Correctional Center for Women began housing prisoners according to gender identity, half a dozen men transferred into the women's prison. One of the inmates raped a female in the women's prison upon arrival." --Journalist Abigail Shrier
Testimony of Abigail Shrier
Journalist and Author
"The Bill also sneaks in a mandate that healthcare professionals must assist with gender transitions and abortions, even if they cannot do so consistent with their religious beliefs or best medical judgment."
Written testimony of Becket
Senate hearing
full video and written testimonies
House Hearing: April 2, 2019
Testimony of Julia Beck, Women's Liberation Front, opposing Equality Act
House hearing
Full video
Resources - Other groups
