Pass the Equality Act

What is the Equality Act?

The Equality Act amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other civil rights laws to establish explicit federal nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people in housing, employment, public education, credit, public spaces, jury service, and all federally funded programs. For the first time in history, this legislation will also prohibit discrimination against women in public spaces and federal programs, and racial and religious discrimination in public spaces.

In June of 2020, the Supreme Court ruled in Bostock v. Clayton County, Ga. that Title VII, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in employment, includes discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. In early 2021, President Biden issued Executive Orders directing the Department of Education to apply these same protections in education settings under Title IX, a decision that is supported by the analysis conducted by the Department of Justice. Yet today only 17 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have laws that clearly protect students from discrimination based on both their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Under the Equality Act, LGBTQ+ students and educators in every state and territory of the U.S. will have nondiscrimination protections that will be difficult for a future Administration and courts to overturn.

The Equality Act was already passed by the U.S. House of Representatives for the second time in the Spring of 2021. Now, we must mobilize to ensure that it is passed in the Senate and signed into law.

What you will find in this toolkit:

• A step-by-step guide to getting a meeting with your Senator on the Equality Act and ensuring that you enter that meeting feeling prepared and exit the meeting feeling successful;
• Template emails and telephone scripts that you can use to secure your meeting and thank those with whom you meet; and
• Links to a fact sheet about the Equality Act and other GLSEN resources that you can use to create your meeting talking points and share with your Senator and their staff.

Remember, your Senators are your representatives. You are their constituent and you have every right to ask for their time and to have your voice heard! It’s time to pass the Equality Act!