Photo by iStock.com/Daniel Brown
Pride Month is a celebration of how far we've come and a moment to reflect on how far we still have to go. When I came out as gay in college, I feared I would never have the opportunity to get married or start my own family. It was heartbreaking. Thankfully, we've come a long way as a society in a short time, and I've since had the privilege to get married. Today, I’m proudly building a home, family, and community in North Carolina. I'm aware of the relative privilege I have as a white-passing man to be able to feel safe from discrimination in the cities I've lived and in workplaces like the Sierra Club.
For many of my people in my life, especially those who are Black and Brown, that's not the case. My friend in Indiana was recently let go from her job after her boss realized she was married to another woman. It's outrageous that there's still no recourse or federal protection for her. My trans friends and colleagues can be refused housing or health care just because they want to live their lives authentically. In 2021 alone, anti-trans legislators have introduced over 100 anti-trans bills in 33 states. Devastatingly, 23 have passed. Across the country, LGBTQI+ Americans can be evicted, refused service, or denied a loan because of who we are or whom we love.
In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that the Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. President Biden has begun implementing this ruling by instructing federal government agencies to prevent and combat sex discrimination in other areas, such as education, housing, and health care.
These acts have made the country a better place to live for millions of people, but the victories are fragile, and discrimination remains legal in some areas of life. But federal law still does not explicitly protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. For the sake of my friends in the broader LGBTQI+ community, we need to pass legislation that a future administration can't reverse on a whim.
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Together, we're working toward a just, equitable, and sustainable future built on a foundation of racial, economic, and gender equity -- where all people benefit from a healthy, thriving planet. We can't create a livable planet without disrupting and dismantling the systemic inequities that ensure that white, cis, straight individuals have disproportionate access to good jobs, housing, healthcare, education, and much more.
The Equality Act would update existing civil rights laws that govern employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs, and jury service to explicitly include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics.
The choices we make together now will shape our society’s direction and the health of our planet for decades to come. The House of Representatives has already passed a version of this bill. Both chambers must pass the Equality Act for President Biden to sign it into law. Help make this a reality by writing to your senators now!