Republican Rep. Chris Stewart of Utah has introduced legislation that he calls a counter proposal to the Equality Act which was passed in the House of Representatives yesterday by a vote of 224-206.
Like the Equality Act, Stewart says his bill, titled the Fairness For All Act (FFAA), would expand existing federal laws regarding anti-LGBTQ discrimination – but with some HUGE differences.
• Under the FFAA, faith-based adoption agencies would continue to receive federal funds but could refuse to place children with potential LGBTQ parents under the guise of ‘religious freedoms.’
• Similarly, religious schools would be allowed to discriminate against LGBTQ people.
• Additionally, while the Equality Act clearly states transgender people would have access to bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity, the FFAA is vague on the issue.
• The FFAA would include an exemption that would allow businesses to refuse to serve LGBTQ people if they have fewer than 15 employees.
• While the Equality Act specifies the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) could not be used as a legal defense in court against cases of anti-LGBTQ discrimination, the FFAA would allow religious beliefs to justify discriminatory actions.
In other words, what’s the point?
Unfortunately the @GOP's Fairness for All Act licenses anti-LGBTQ discrimination in certain circumstances. https://t.co/A7ExaTYPoc
— 𝐉𝐑 𝐁𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐲 🏳️🌈⚛️🇺🇦🌻 (@JRBuckley) February 24, 2021
"…any store, shopping center, or online retailer or provider of online services that has 15 or more employees…" According to the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Cncl, 89% of firms had <20 employees. Nearly 5 million companies not covered https://t.co/T5aUKXGONb
— Eric (@EricChicago3) February 26, 2021
“It is hard to really love our neighbors when we are fighting with them over whose rights are more important,” said Rep. Stewart in a statement. “This country can accommodate both civil liberties for LGBT individuals & religious freedom.”
Stewart’s bill has 21 Republican co-sponsors but no Democrats signed on to the legislation even though Stewart initially indicated the bill would have bipartisan support.
Zero Dems included in the Fairness for All Act list of 21 original co-sponsors, despite earlier signals from Rep. Chris Stewart it would have bipartisan support. https://t.co/MhIfAOjVro
— Chris Johnson (@chrisjohnson82) February 26, 2021
Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), the sponsor of the Equality Act, told the Washington Blade that the FFAA would “very clearly be worse than nothing.”
“For the first time in our history, it would actually put in federal statute provisions that permit discrimination against the LGBTQ community,” Cicilline told the Blade. “It would be a tremendous step backward, which is why it’s not supported by any major LGBT organization, all of the major LGBT organizations support the Equality Act.”
“The Stewart bill is a tremendous step backward in our fight for full equality,” added Cicilline.
Rep. Cicilline told me this week the Fairness for All Act would be “worse than nothing” because of the carve outs.
Cicilline added he “would hope” supporters of LGBTQ rights don’t back it when I asked if it was OK for Democrats to co-sponsor.
— Chris Johnson (@chrisjohnson82) February 26, 2021
There better not be any damn democrats who vote for this bullshit!!!🤬 And no, the “Fairness for All Act” is *not* better than nothing. If The Equality Act fails in Senate, we must keep trying. Our #LGBTQ rights aren’t up for negotiation or compromise! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ https://t.co/5Hh6ZiU3D9
— Gary Wright II (@garywright2) February 26, 2021
