Equality Act passes U.S. House

The Equality Act, sponsored in Congress by Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and in the Senate by Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) passed the House of Representatives. The act does many things but generally adds “sexual orientation and gender identity” to the 1964 Civil Rights act. Its fate is iffy in the Senate.

The usual suspects surfaced to criticize the bill; Pat Robertson said passage would ruin “the sanctity of America. If you want to bring the judgment of God on this nation, you just keep this stuff up,” he said. He brought up the Biblical Book of Leviticus as evidence. He was silent on stoning insolent teenagers and those mixing polyester and cotton also prescribed in Leviticus.

A group organized by African American pastors, Gone 2 Far Movement, criticized the Congressional Black Caucus for backing the Act. Their statement suggests the Act will set back minority rights. The CBC, “have determined to vote in favor of trivializing the historical suffering of Blacks as akin to a sexual desire,” said the pastors.

An interfaith coalition of over 70 Washington DC religious leaders, organized by an African American leader in the Unitarian Church, has announced support of the measure at a Capitol Hill rally. “As people of faith, we are preaching people of all gender identities and gender expressions deserve federal protections against discrimination.”

Jessie Tyler Ferguson joined a growing chorus of celebs in pushing for passage of the Equality Act. The Modern Family star and his husband, Justin Mikita, made a video for the Human Rights Campaign. Ferguson used his home state of New Mexico, which has a non-discrimination law and next door Arizona which doesn’t, as an example, “No one’s rights should be determined by what side of the state line they’re on.”