Keep the momentum on LGBTQ+ rights
As chief executive officer of Equality Texas, I have watched support for LGBTQ+ equality increase among the American public and even right here in Texas.
I was happy to see Americans across party lines affirm that equality is an American value. Following the Senate victories in the Georgia runoff elections, a pro-equality majority cemented control of Congress. President Joe Biden has pledged to make ending discrimination against LGBTQ+ Americans a core feature of his administration.
This is the kind of leadership and momentum we need to complete the pursuit of a generation: enacting comprehensive federal legislation protecting all LGBTQ+ Americans from discrimination in virtually every area of life, from housing to health care and public spaces such as hotels, restaurants and parks.
We live in the greatest country, yet there are critical gaps in our federal and state nondiscrimination laws for LGBTQ+ people. While the Supreme Court ruled last year LGBTQ+ people are protected at work, it is still legal under federal law for stores, restaurants and federally funded programs — including homeless shelters, food banks and adoption agencies — to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
I know U.S. Sen. John Cornyn has strong convictions in our country’s values of treating others as we would want to be treated. While we may not always agree on policies, I’m hopeful he will have the moral imperative to help advance bipartisan legislation that would establish enduring nondiscrimination protections for the 1.1 million LGBTQ+ Texans.
Over the past four decades, 21 states and more than 350 cities have passed LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination protections. But this patchwork of protections is unsustainable and leaves too many people behind, both here in Texas and across the country.
Texas has no explicit statewide nondiscrimination laws protecting LGBTQ+ people, and opponents of equality continue to file discriminatory bills in our statehouse.
A recent survey found that more than 1 in 3 LGBTQ+ Americans faced discrimination of some kind in the past year, including more than 3 in 5 transgender Americans. More than half of LGBTQ+ people said they experienced harassment or discrimination in a public place such as a store, a source of transportation or a restroom. Is this reflective of our values and the Gospels’ teachings when our fellow Americans are experiencing discrimination?
Now is the time to ensure that LGBTQ+ people are protected no matter what city or state they call home. Momentum on the side of freedom and fairness is rapidly increasing. A supermajority of Americans support protecting people from discrimination: According to a 2020 Public Religion Research Institute survey, more than 8 in 10 Americans (83 percent), including majorities of independents (85 percent) and Republicans (68 percent), expressed support for these protections.
Hundreds of corporations such as American Airlines, Dell Technologies, Dow and IBM have come together in multiple state and national business coalitions to support nondiscrimination.
This moment of historic opportunity and victory has never been closer. In a time when we are battling a public health crisis, it is scary to think that LGBTQ+ people can still be denied housing or refused medical care just because of who they are or whom they love.
This is not what our country is about. Equality is not a Democratic or Republican value; it’s an American value. Everyone should be free to go about their daily lives — enter a store, check in to a hotel, eat at a restaurant, visit a doctor’s office — without fear of harassment or discrimination.
It’s past time for our elected officials to take action. It’s the job of Congress to pass legislation that protects all Americans. Cornyn must stand up for all Texans and join President Joe Biden in supporting a bipartisan federal law with express and enduring nondiscrimination protections for 1.1 million LGBTQ+ Texans across virtually every area of daily life.
LGBTQ+ people are our friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, essential workers, fellow worshippers and community members. We deserve the freedom to live, work, earn a living, raise our families and contribute fully to our communities. When all people are treated fairly and equally, then — and only then — will our state and our country be at their strongest.