The Equality Act 2021
Why you should care about the Equality Act
By Sarah Kirsch, Contributing Writer
On Nov. 4 and 5, Amnesty International at UW-Madison held a small event at Peace Park in support of the Equality Act. With a table, a QR code and free pins, the club reached students and locals to add their names to a co-sponsor list. Amnesty at UW is a chapter of Amnesty International and emphasizes this message: “Amnesty International at UW-Madison works to establish quantifiable change against injustice and human rights abuses within the UW-Madison community, nationally and internationally.” (Amnesty at UW, n.d.)
What is the Equality Act?
The Equality Act was enacted by the 117 Congress in Feb. 2021, and it passed the House of Representatives on Feb. 25. In broad terms, it prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, education and more. Public accommodations include three specific sections; the first being exhibitions, recreation, amusement, gatherings and displays. The second is goods, services and programs; the third is transportation services. The act’s primary purpose is to allow the Department of Justice to intervene in any of those settings and use equal protection actions in federal court for sexual orientation and gender identity. (Johnson, 2021)
If it gets passed through the Senate, the Equality Act would help protect various people. It would actively support women, members of the LGBTQ+ community with an emphasis on older LGBT adults, people of color, schools and educators, child welfare providers and businesses. Just like Amnesty International, the act works against discrimination and for equality. The Human Rights Campaign gives specific examples of common discrimination against the previous list and how the Equality Act would help. For example, if a person breastfeeds their baby in a restaurant and is harassed for it, the Equality Act would make that type of harassment illegal. (Equality Act NOW, n.d.)
Why You Should Care
“It’s long overdue for Congress to pass the Equality Act,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. As recorded by the Human Rights Campaign, numerous political figures and celebrities publicly support the act. Many people, such as Pelosi, Jane Lynch, Shea Diamond, Jamie Lee Curtis, various Senators and more have video statements online. Shea Diamond, a singer and trans activist, said “Passing the Equality Act sends a powerful message to our LGBT youth that they are affirmed, welcomed and protected.”
The LGBTQ+ community is constantly growing in America; a 2020 poll showed that 5.6 percent of adults in the U.S. identify as LGBT (Jones, 2021). Even if it doesn’t directly affect you, the Equality Act protects a large and growing part of our population. It takes a step further than the 116 Congress’s Equality Act in 2019 by giving further protection to minorities and LGBTQ+. While the 116 Equality Act prohibited discrimination to the same specific groups of people, the 117 Act goes further and makes it illegal. In simple terms, it promotes much-needed equality and fights against present discrimination.
What You Can do to Help
Along with endless resources and examples of the benefits of the Equality Act, the HRC website has direct links to ways anyone can make an impact. There are many ways to show support of the act. You can add your name to the list of co-sponsors, contact your Congressman through email or phone, or simply post on social media for general support and awareness. HRC’s goal is to get two hundred thousand names, and they’re nearly there! Check it out here: https://www.hrc.org/campaigns/equality-act
Sources:
Amnesty at UW, n.d.
Johnson, C. (2021, March 2). H.R.5 - 117th Congress. Congress.gov
Equality Act NOW, n.d.
Jones, J. (2021, February 26). LGBT Identification Rises to 5.6% in Latest U.S. Estimate. Gallup
Johnson, C. (2019, May 17). H.R. 5 - 116th Congress. Congress.gov