Proving once again why the Supreme Court was wrong this week to encroach upon Congress’ lawmaking duties, Senate conservatives rejected an attempt by liberal senators to bring the misnamed and dangerous “Equality Act” up for a vote.
All 45 Democrats, two Independents, plus Susan Collins, R-Maine, wrote a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., requesting that he bring the bill up for a vote. Republican senators Mike Lee, R-Utah, James Lankford, R-Okla., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., objected, since the request bypassed the usual Senate committee process.
More importantly, the so-called Equality Act has nothing to do with equality. If passed, it would elevate homosexuality and transgenderism to a special status to which religious freedom, women’s rights and privacy interests would be subjugated.
In Monday’s Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Justice Samuel Alito noted in his dissenting opinion that the court’s majority was legislating from the bench, and that Congress had considered and rejected adding sexual orientation and gender identity to federal civil rights laws:
“For the past 45 years,” Alito wrote, “bills have been introduced in Congress to add ‘sexual orientation’ to the list, and in recent years, bills have included ‘gender identity’ as well. But to date, none has passed both Houses.”
And Congress just acted – and rejected – yet another attempt to use the word “sex” to promote another agenda entirely.
Even though LGBT activists are hailing their victory at the Supreme Court, they want more, and they want it at the expense of people of faith, women, children and even preborn babies.
For example, the Equality Act nullifies the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA), so that people of faith cannot raise an objection to a government law or edict regarding homosexuality or gender identity that infringes their free exercise of religion.
Other objectional effects of the Equality Act will include:
- Single-sex facilities, such as dressing rooms, showers and restrooms, would be open to those who believe they are or claim to be the opposite sex – putting privacy and safety at risk.
- Businesses would be forced to support events and ideas they disagree with – or lose discrimination lawsuits.
- Shelters for women who have suffered emotional and physical abuse from men would be open to biological men who believe they are women
- Faith-based foster care and adoption agencies that believe children deserve a mother and father would be forced to place children with same-sex couples or shut down
- Medical providers could be forced to violate their beliefs and provide drugs, hormones and surgeries for those “transitioning” to the opposite sex.
- Businesses and faith-based groups could be forced to provide insurance coverage for contraceptives and abortions – against their deeply held beliefs
- Biological men who believe they are women would be able to compete in women’s sports at every level, from school to amateur to professional
- The act would regulate “thought, belief and speech,” requiring people to assent to “new beliefs about human identity” that are contrary to their faith and beliefs.
- Parents who do not support their child’s gender confusion could lose custody of their children because of their “discriminatory” beliefs.
- School children would be introduced to transgender ideology and concepts such as sexual orientation as early as pre-school – often over the beliefs of parents.
- Teachers would be forced to comply with this agenda, or risk losing their jobs.
- Ministries that provide counseling and support for those with unwanted homosexuality or gender confusion would risk discrimination lawsuits.
The law would even promote abortion by redefining sex to include “pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition.” This was likely included in order to justify taxpayer funding of abortion.
The Equality Act is so much worse than simply a bad idea. It is an intentional effort to undermine the founding ideals of this country regarding religious freedom, destroys the victories that women have enjoyed up to this point in our nation’s history, and promises to impose a sexual ideology that demands subservience from everyone who might otherwise object. As one noted pundit, Erick Erickson, has been saying for years on this subject, “You will be made to care.”
Related:
House Passes Deceptively Named ‘Equality Act’
House Abortion Activists Include Access to Abortion in Equality Act
The Equality Act: Biological Men Competing Against Women in Sports is Problematic
If the Equality Act Passes, Women Will Be Vulnerable in Restrooms Across the Country
The Equality Act Would Mark the End of Religious Conscience
Equality Act Discriminates Against Faith-Based Adoption Agencies
Equality Act – An Assault on Freedom, Privacy and Safety
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