Rep. Jayapal and Rep. Newman: Pass The Equality Act Now
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Rep. Marie Newman (IL-03)
There were more than 250 bills that would deny the rights of transgender people introduced in state legislatures across the country just this year alone. That’s more anti-trans bills becoming law in 2021 than in the previous ten years combined. But one moment, from one hearing, in one state went viral.
Brandon Boulware, the father of a transgender daughter, testified during a hearing in the Missouri statehouse to urge lawmakers to abandon a bill that would discriminate against trans youth. “As a parent, the one thing we cannot do — the one thing — is silence our child’s spirit,” he said. “Let them have their childhoods. Let them be who they are.”
As the proud parents of incredible transgender children, Mr. Boulware’s testimony hits home for both of us. Each of us have journeyed the same path he did with his daughter. We’ve watched our children come to understand who they are and take the risk to come out as their authentic selves. We’ve seen the weight that lifts when they’re able to live freely as themselves.
Today, Pride month is officially over. While many may leave the LGBTQ+ community behind on July 1 (we know several corporations certainly will), the fight for equality doesn’t end here. As parents of trans kids and Members of Congress, our path ahead is clear: we must pass the Equality Act through the Senate and send it to President Biden so he can make it law.
The Equality Act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to provide explicit, consistent, nationwide protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, and public spaces and services like stores, hotels, and more. It would also codify last year’s Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton Country, Georgia which held that discrimination against LGBTQ+ people violates federal law.
While visibility of the Queer community has increased exponentially in recent years, passing the Equality Act remains urgently important. Studies have found that about one-third of LGBTQ+ Americans report experiencing workplace discrimination, and about one-half report experiencing discrimination in public spaces. A 2020 survey found that two in five LGBTQ+ youth have “seriously considered” suicide, and experts identified discrimination as one of the “primary causal mechanisms” of that ideation. This year is tragically on track to be the deadliest year on record for transgender people, with that violence disproportionately affecting trans women of color. And with state legislatures rushing to compound that harm, it couldn’t be more urgent that Congress make it clear, once and for all, that LGBTQ+ people are owed the full dignity of protection under federal law.
The good news is that the public is with us: research from Data for Progress found a clear 38-point margin of support (66 percent support, 28 percent opposed) for the Equality Act. And both Democrats and Independents are overwhelmingly on board, supporting the bill by 76 points and 50 points respectively.
As parents of trans children, we have seen first hand the beauty of LGBTQ+ people being free to be who they are — and we have a responsibility to ensure they can also be free from discrimination. We urge our colleagues in the Senate to do everything necessary to pass the Equality Act, and send the bill to the President’s desk. It’s past time to enshrine civil rights for everyone in America, no matter who they are or who they love.
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal is Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and represents Washington’s 7th Congressional District.
Congresswoman Marie Newman represents Illinois’s 3rd Congressional District.