As the Senate Judiciary Committee prepares to hear witness testimony today, March 17, on the Equality Act — legislation that would modernize our nation’s civil rights laws for all while expanding to include the prohibition of anti-LGBTQ discrimination — an unprecedented number of national leaders, representing broad, diverse interests and perspectives, are rallying in support of the Equality Act.
“An overwhelming and bipartisan majority of Americans support updating our federal laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ people as a simple matter of fairness,” said Janson Wu, executive director, of the Boston-based GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders.
“Passing the Equality Act will ensure that LGBTQ people – and all people – can contribute to their families, communities, and workplaces while being treated with the dignity and equality all Americans need and deserve,” Wu said.
Wu is also one of the witnesses to testify at the Senate hearing, which begins today.
Other witnesses include HRC President Alphonso David; Stella Keating, a 16-year-old trans activist; and Dr. Edith Guffey, MSW, PFLAG National Board of Directors Member, Conference Minister of the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference of the United Church of Christ. And many other voices representing the perspectives and interests of millions of Americans from all corners of the country are rallying in support of the Equality Act, including:
CIVIL RIGHTS: Major civil rights organizations including American Civil Liberties Union, NAACP LDF, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Black Justice Coalition, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Center for Transgender Equality, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, AAJC | Asian Americans Advancing Justice.
WOMEN: Major Women’s Rights groups including National Women’s Law Center, National Organization for Women, National Partnership for Women & Families, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and more.
EDUCATORS: The American Federation of Teachers; the American School Counselor Association; the National Education Association; Service Employees International Union; and the National Association of Social Workers).
CORPORATIONS: The Equality Act has and has been endorsed by more than 350 major companies, including dozens of Fortune 500 companies such as The Coca-Cola Co., Dow Chemical Co., Gap Inc., IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg Co., Marriott International Inc., Microsoft Corp., and Target Corp.
BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS: The Equality Act has overwhelming support among more than 60 business associations — including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, and the National Association of Manufacturers.
MEDICAL COMMUNITY: Major medical associations including American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, American Heart Association and others.
RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES: More than 120 faith-based organizations such as the Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Interfaith Alliance, and Faith in Public Life.
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC: More than two-thirds of Americans in every state, of every faith and political affiliation, support laws protecting LGBTQ people.
The full list of organizations supporting the Equality Act can be found here.
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