House Democrats pass bill to change Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include LGBT, transgenders, make them a ‘protected class’
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a bill that threatens the free exercise of religion and free speech. H.R. 5, known as the Equality Act, which broadly imposes the LGBT agenda and does not exempt churches or religious employers, organizations or colleges.
It specifically forbids raising religious free exercise as a claim or defense to the LGBT agenda.
This bill amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by striking the word “sex,” and inserting “sex, sexual orientation, gender identity” as protected classes throughout the federal code. This amendment applies to employment, housing, rental, public accommodation and more.
Therefore, church leadership and nonprofit faith-based organizations and schools would be forced to hire gender-confused individuals and allow men access to female (or vice versa) restrooms, showers, locker rooms, dressing rooms, shelters, dormitories and sports. This legislation would also create many more victims — like women in shelters who have been sexually assaulted by a man posing as a “transgender” to gain access to the facility.
photo Julyo based on work by Gilbert Baker, 1979 via wikimedia commons
The move was praised by the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, which is co-chaired by Rep. Katie Hill, D-California.
“As the first LGBTQ woman in Congress from the state of California, I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of a new generation of leaders who will finally pass this landmark legislation to protect the LGBTQ community from discrimination,” Hill said on Facebook Wednesday, thanking her colleague and caucus co-chair Rep. David Cicilline.
Cicilline added in multiple tweets Wednesday that the legislation seeks to extend federal civil rights protections to LGBTQ Americans.
“No one should have to worry about losing their job or housing simply because of who they are or who they love,” Ciciline tweeted.
Liberty Counsel notes that “Churches that provide weddings or baby showers would be forced to provide the same facilities to LGBT events and same-sex weddings. Church tax-exemption and college accreditation (including federal student loans) would be affected.”
Mat Staver, chairman of Liberty Counsel, warns the Equality Act is not about equality.
“This bill eviscerate[s] religious freedom and targets churches with an LGBT wrecking ball,” he said.
“This bill literally sets the stage for setting up the Bible as prohibited material where it addresses homosexuality,” Liberty Counsel said.
