The Equality Act is a bill that is intended to prevent discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. And, “Under the Equality Act, an entity couldn’t use RFRA to challenge the act’s provisions, nor could it use RFRA as a defense to a claim made under the act.”  The RFRA is the Religious Freedom Restoration Act that sought to enshrine religious liberty. But, with the Equality Act, a baker, for example, could not refuse service to a homosexual couple by not baking a cake celebrating their marriage as Colorado baker Jack Phillips case deals with.

“He is not the only victim. Other cases involving disagreement over the meaning of marriage feature florists, bakers, photographers, wedding venue owners, videographers, web designers, calligraphers, and public servants.”    https://www.heritage.org/gender/heritage-explains/the-equality-act

It is actually the Inequality Act.

So, actually, the Equality Act is an oppressive “inequality” act that will penalize conservatives and Christians while forcing the aberration of LGBTQ in our society. The Equality Act is a bill  H.R.5 sponsored by the democrat United States representative David N. Cicilline and introduced by Nancy Pelosi. It passed the House on 2/25/2021. Next, it must pass the Senate. Then it goes to the president. If he signs it, it becomes law.  Here is a summary stated on the congress.gov site.

“This bill prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system. Specifically, the bill defines and includes sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination or segregation. The bill expands the definition of public accommodations to include places or establishments that provide (1) exhibitions, recreation, exercise, amusement, gatherings, or displays; (2) goods, services, or programs; and (3) transportation services. The bill allows the Department of Justice to intervene in equal protection actions in federal court on account of sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill prohibits an individual from being 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.” https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5?s=1&r=85, underline added.

I read the entire bill. It is filled with legalese and is in many places very dry and confusing. Nevertheless, here is what I saw in the Bill.

1. Affirms same-sex marriage:
   1. The Equality Act redefines marriage and codifies same-sex marriage as legitimate (Sec. 2, a, 2)
2. It would make sexual orientation and gender identity protected civil rights.
   1. It modifies the Civil Rights acts of 1964 by modifying sex to mean “sexual orientation and sexual identity.” (Sec. 3, a, 1)
3. Abortion is supported.
   1. Changing the definition of sex to include ‘pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition.’   (Sec 1101, a, 4, b). “According to Tony Perkins, president of the socially conservative Family Research Council, under the provisions of the Equality Act referencing pregnancy and childbirth, “any American who doesn’t want to fund, offer, perform, or participate in abortion on demand will have no real choice.” (https://www.christianpost.com/news/biden-vows-to-sign-equality-act-4-things-to-know-about-the-bill.html?page=5)
4. Forced compliance:
   1. It would force employers and employees to conform to the newly defined sexual norms or lose their livelihood. (Sec. 2, a, 10).
5. Condemns gender-separated facilities like locker rooms and bathrooms:
   1. It states that “shared facilities, including a restroom, a locker room, and a dressing room,” shall be available to all who identify as a particular gender (Sec 1101, b, 2)
6. Condemns conversion therapy:
   1. It states that conversion therapy for LGBTQ has been discredited (Sec 2, a, 10)
7. Threatens religious freedom to disagree:
   1. It threatens religious freedoms by redefining aspects of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act  (RFRA) (Sec. 1107. Claims)
   2. It broadly requires compliance for any “other place of or establishment that provides exhibition, entertainment, recreation, exercise, amusement, public gather, or public display.” (Sec 3, a, 2, a)
   3. It defines “public accommodations” so loosely that it can easily be interpreted to oppose religious gatherings and institutions. (Sec. 2, a, 3, 5, 10, 11)
8. Modifies Civil Rights Act opening the door to religious oppression:
   1. It modifies the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and states that “in a situation in which sex is a bona fide occupational qualification, individuals are recognized as qualified in accordance with their gender identity.” (Sec. 701A, c, 2)
   2. It raises LGBTQ to the same category as race. (Sec. 1101, a, 1, a; Sec. 10; q; Sec. 11:g, 1, 2)

Complaints about the Equality Act

The so-called equality act will weaken the 1st Amendment by forcing people to comply with ideologies against their religious beliefs. It will open the door for lawsuits against conservatives, and it will quench free speech. Please consider the following quotes.

“From my vantage point as a gay conservative, I can see that the Equality Act goes too far for any level-headed gay rights advocate to support, and its blatant disregard for the basic right to religious freedom is appalling.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/05/20/lgbtq-equality-act-fails-fair-religious-freedom-provisions-accommodation-column/3731197002/

“This bill would politicize medicine by forcing doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals to offer drastic procedures—not in view of new scientific discoveries, but by ideological fiat.”     https://www.heritage.org/gender/heritage-explains/the-equality-act

“The Equality Act would force employers and workers to conform to new sexual norms or else lose their businesses and jobs…Now citizens are being punished for their views on biological sex.” https://www.heritage.org/gender/heritage-explains/the-equality-actq

“No one should fear losing their job because they believe that men and women are biological realities that are not interchangeable.”      https://www.dailysignal.com/2018/12/10/this-teacher-was-fired-for-misgendering-a-student-who-could-be-next/

What do we do about the Equality Act?

Christians are to take these issues biblically. First, pray. Ask God to raise up unity among the conservatives and Christians. It is the enemy that sows division, so we must be united. Second, pray about the issues that surface in the news and address them specifically. Third, ask your pastor to consider addressing various issues from the pulpit.  Fourth, be informed about the issues. This may mean reading books or just paying attention to different news outlets when needed. Fifth, email or write letters to your congressman/woman about certain. Sixth, there are websites you can go to that work against liberalism and its immorality. Check them out and help out.

• https://www.americanfreedomlawcenter.org/
• https://www.stopk12indoctrination.org/
• https://promisetoamericaschildren.org/
• https://www.americanthinker.com/
• https://www.theblaze.com/
• https://thefederalist.com/