Conservative Party Urges Opposition To The “(In)Equality Act”
Our laws should protect the constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms of every citizen, no matter who they are. Every person should be treated with dignity and respect. But a federal piece of legislation, known as the “Equality Act” (H.R. 5), would guarantee inequality and create countless victims. The “Equality Act” is not about civil rights, but civil tyranny.
Here are the top five reasons for members of Congress to vote against the so-called “Equality Act”.
1. Women’s Opportunities and Privacy
Historically, women have had to fight for the right to vote, to borrow and own property solely under their name, even to work at certain employment. These rights are often taken for granted. Today, those rights are being threatened. This bill would mandate that men who self-identify as women be allowed to compete as women for spots on female sports teams, women’s scholarships, and even business opportunities created exclusively for women. It would also violate women’s privacy and dignity by forcing women’s only shelters and other private, intimate spaces, like locker rooms and restrooms, to be open to men.
2. Kids in Foster Care
H.R. 5 would harm the over 400,000 children in our nation’s foster care system by forcing faith-based adoption and foster care providers who believe that children thrive best in a home with a married mother and father to stop helping kids. Under the “Equality Act”, these adoption and foster care providers would either have to cave on their religious convictions or close their doors.
3. Conscience Rights and Abortion
H.R. 5would force doctors, counselors, and healthcare practitioners to violate their conscience by prescribing puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and sex-reassignment surgery to otherwise healthy children who are struggling with their gender identity, even though such treatments cause grave and often irreversible harm. It could even force pro-life hospitals and doctors to perform or facilitate abortions.
4. Religious Colleges and Houses of Worship
The so-called “Equality Act” would deny federal financial aid to students at faith-based colleges and universities unless they abandon policies and practices reflecting their sincerely-held beliefs about marriage and sexuality. It could even forbid houses of worship from ensuring their clergy and other employees abide by their doctrines or beliefs about marriage, sexual behavior, and the distinction between the sexes.
5. Creative Professionals and Their Businesses
It would target creative professionals who willingly serve everyone, like photographers, videographers, florist, and bakers, and force them to promote messages and celebrate events that conflict with their beliefs. Local laws like the “Equality Act” have been used to punish business owners like the Colorado cakebaker Jack Phillips, Washington florist Barronelle Stutzman, and Kentucky t-shirt designer Blaine Adamson.
The Conservative Party is opposed to discrimination, but this bill actually encourages discrimination against women, people of faith and religious organizations. There is no equality, but only inequality in this proposal. Pandering to politically-correct special interests makes bad public policy. The Conservative Party urges members of the U.S. House of Representatives to vote against the “(In)Equality Act” (H.R. 5) when it comes before them.