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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 13 March 2019

Push for broader LGBT rights slowed by lack of GOP support

By DAVID CRARY change and other hot but- ate, the bill's chances ap-
AP National Writer ton issues. pear slim.
NEW YORK (AP) — The LGBT The result is a patchwork "The path forward may re-
rights movement's top leg- map in the U.S., with a ma- quire another election,"
islative priority, a compre- jority of states making it le- said James Esseks, director
hensive nondiscrimination gal for an LGBT person to of the American Civil Liber-
bill, will be introduced in be fired, evicted or barred ties Union's LGBT & HIV
Congress on Wednesday, from public facilities be- Project.
but the excitement will be cause of sexual orientation Esseks is hopeful that fed-
tempered by political re- or gender identity. eral courts may broaden
ality: The bill could well be "No one's civil rights should some protections for LGBT
doomed, at least for this be dependent on what people, notably with re-
year, by lack of Republican ZIP code they live in," said gard to workplace dis-
support. JoDee Winterhoff of the Hu- crimination. But he says the
That dynamic mirrors the man Rights Campaign, a Equality Act eventually will
situation nationwide. Twen- In this Wednesday, July 26, 2017 file photo, people with the Hu- national LGBT rights group. be needed to "fill all the
ty mostly Democratic-run man Rights Campaign hold up "equality flags" during an event Opponents of nondiscrimi- gaps" and provide com-
states already have com- organized by Rep. Joe Kennedy, D-Mass., in support of trans- nation bills, meanwhile, say prehensive protections in
gender members of the military on Capitol Hill in Washington,
prehensive nondiscrimina- after President Donald Trump said he wants transgender people that such measures can in- conservative states that
tion protections for LGBT barred from serving in the U.S. military. fringe on religious and oth- are unlikely to enact LGBT
people, comparable to Associated Press er beliefs. rights bills on their own.
what the Equality Act "The Equality Act would This year, LGBT nondiscrimi-
would mandate nation- and public services. balked at taking that step, undermine the freedom to nation bills have been filed
ally. The protections extend The other 30 states — illustrating that LGBT rights is think and act according to in more than dozen state
to employment, housing, where Republicans hold as polarized along partisan our beliefs," said Emilie Kao legislatures where the GOP
public accommodations full or partial power — have lines as abortion, climate of the conservative Heri- either is in full control or, in
tage Foundation. Citing re- the case of Virginia, con-
cent cases in the news, she trols one chamber. Two
said faith-based adoption such bills passed Virginia's
agencies should be not be Democratic-controlled
required to serve same-sex Senate, but GOP leaders
couples, and entrepreneurs in the House of Delegates
such as bakers and florists refused to consider them.
should be not be required None of the bills in other
to provide their services for states appear headed for
same-sex weddings. passage.
The Equality Act was first in- Some examples:
troduced three years ago; — In West Virginia, the state
it would add gender identi- Senate's GOP leadership
ty and sexual orientation to let an LGBT nondiscrimina-
existing federal nondiscrim- tion bill die without a hear-
ination laws covering such ing, despite a plea from 12
realms as employment, mayors to consider it.
housing, education, and — In North Dakota, a mea-
public spaces and services. sure that would prohibit
The new version specifies housing or workforce dis-
that the act would cover crimination based on sex-
retail stores, emergency ual orientation was defeat-
shelters, banks, transporta- ed in the House by a 70-22
tion, pharmacies and legal vote.
services. — In Arkansas, the state
In Congress, the bill has Supreme Court refused to
near-unanimous Demo- let the city of Fayetteville
cratic backing and seems enforce a local ordinance
certain to pass the House, banning discrimination
but as of Tuesday afternoon based on sexual orienta-
only one Republican, Rep. tion or gender identity.
Brian Fitzpatrick of Penn- The court cited a state
sylvania, had announced law aimed at preventing
plans to be a co-sponsor. local protections for LGBT
In the GOP-controlled Sen- people.q