The Dangerous Inequalities Of The “Equality Act”

Women's rights and equality in medical community radically from the main road going on right and the list goes on. Thank you for joining us for this week's additional family policy matters and innocuous sounding bill that would massively overhaul or federal civil rights framework is making its way through the United States Congress. The so-called equality act which is already passed the US House of Representatives could have far-reaching implications for all Americans across our nation, especially those of us who seek to live out our faith not only at home but also in the public square. Passage of the equality act would be historic because it would represent the first time in history that the classifications of sexual orientation and gender identity would be elevated to protected status under federal civil rights laws on the same tier as race, age, sex, and national origin. Today I'm joined by Marybeth Waddell who is senior legislative assistant for the family research Council in Washington DC and FRC.

Marybeth works with legislators and federal agencies on issues relating to the family and religious liberty. Marybeth has followed the federal equality act very closely and has analyzed its potential impacts on individuals, families and communities across our nation and were excited to speak with her about that today Marybeth walking the family policy matters. It's great to have you on the show so Marybeth what spurred the idea of the so-called equality act.

Is this a new idea or has it been around for a while year and trying to get past the Dell you mentioned earlier and have a wonderful and document name the quality right right.

They'll about equality. It isn't every time I'm just discrimination against the LGBT community.

You look at what the bill actually does make it clear that the real purpose is for the government to require acceptance of an ideology about sexual ethic and identity.

So what are some of the big picture changes that this legislation proposes to make to American law. You've already done that as well. The equality act in them that they'll overhaul our federal civil rights framework by making nearly think the amendments to nearly 10 different civil rights laws and trying special privileges for sexual orientation and gender identity. For example, title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 covers public accommodations which traditionally understood to be things like hotel's restaurant storefront, etc. and currently race, color, national origin, and religion are what's covered and it's not his termination glad the equality act would add that including text orientation and gender identity to that last minute and the definition of public accommodation to include just about any person or place that offers a good service or program here talking massive overhaul is sexual orientation and gender identity as terms actually defined in the in the proposal. Not very well technically gender identity. However, whatever the person claims I can claim to be a woman and claimed to be a man. It's all about self identification and that I am an attorney and this is a litigation Mac that it is nothing but inviting litigation so what aspects of the so-called equality utmost concern. You will have a very long time. They'll have a number of really alarming concerns.

It got women's rights and equality at politicizing the medical community and its radically pro-abortion.

It's extremely hostile to people of faith. It could erode parental rights could lead to highly inappropriate sexual education and history lessons being taught in school, and the list goes on doing drill down into a couple of those areas specifically if you would just help us understand what impact. For example, would be equality on the activities of religious organizations not only churches but other organizations that have a face statement as the basis of the work that they do all of the different entity that you just mentioned.

I frankly doubt the way were exempt itself from the religious Freedom restoration act, which is our flagship related liberty law that was passed with nearly unanimous support and signed into law by President Clinton, and I believe 93 or 94 and it is what was used as a defense by the little sister to the poor you know when they received for not providing contraceptives in its listeners are familiar with Jack Phillips in the masterpiece case that was the defense.

In that case anyone is in that defense would be completely eradicated, and any instance for the equality act is involved.

Think about risk rat religious freedom and training act balancing.

It doesn't say that the religious practice of religious belief will always win.

It says Bergen away. What is the government doing what is the burden that is placing on religious practice.

Bergen evaluate that and see if this is an undue burden. Weight is being put on the scale today. No government action and find some houses of worship would be could be barred from ensuring that their leaders and employers abide by their beliefs about marriage sexual behavior distinctions between the sexes, women who identify as men would have to be accepted as men. Therefore being initially eligible to serve in positions reserved for men like a Catholic priest or a Jewish ripped rabbi religious employers could be forced to offer insurance coverage for medical procedures such as hormone therapy or surgical surgery related to gender transition and violate their beliefs or convictions. Religious charities could face closure are either compromising their faith in some level of defect orientation and dendrite entity privileges would be mandated almost every school in the country, including religious private universities. That's quite extensive snow. What about the issues of personal privacy and political rights.

How will the bill effect of these areas when it would no longer have privacy in public bathrooms, Jim showers, gym lockers, etc. would all be open to men and including in schools battered women's shelters where women seek healing for their emotional and physical scars from having been abused by man would be open to men in particular if I we've actually been working with a radical leftist lesbian feminist to oppose this bill because they understand the dangers of the outcome and are vehemently opposed to the bill. You know it's interesting the coalitions that you connect you parental rights with the politicization of the medical industry and it becoming harder and harder to oppose radical and harmful treatment." Gender dysphoria. Hands could become tied more and more regarding her children's medical care in Ohio a couple lost custody of their teenage daughter because they didn't want to pursue hormone treatment. The girls doctors.Child protective services involved and she was eventually placed in her grandparents care. Many schools are already creating sexual education programs that parent parents are both unaware of and have no option of opting at kids out of history lessons could also begin to change to include sexual ideology what it is with the curriculum or direct mandate of the equality act when the Civil Rights Act which is being amended with past ports required black history curriculum to be taught in schools, which is a good thing. But the whole purpose of this agenda is to try and equate sexual orientation and gender identity with Ralph was there completely distinctly different subject is could make the same determination and require LGBT lessons to be taught in schools and parents that have very little recourse. Any school like all the bathrooms at school would have to be basically coed you know that both men and women would be allowed to go and then you would have that the sports would would now be coed you have men that are allowed to play women's sports just in Decatur, Georgia, whenever you had the Obama administration Department of education and Department of Justice put out the letter to the schools threatening them with their federal funding if they didn't, basically open the bathrooms so most schools open their bathrooms, and a five-year-old little girl in Decatur Georgia was sexually assaulted in her bathroom by a male classmate and medication. Nothing is really been about that the mother of this child you know has been out there beating the drum of what happened to her daughter in the school truly sued the mother as if she was the problem here and she's trying to protect your listening post weekly radio show and podcast of the north Carolina family policy. This is just one of the many ways is educating citizens across Mr. Alana about policy issues that impact a lot of families vision is to create a state a nation where God is on religious freedom sources, families and life's cherished more information about his family and how you can help us to achieve this incredible vision for our state and nation. Visit our website and see family.org and see family.org and be sure to sign up to receive our email updates, action alerts, and of course our flagship publication family North Carolina magazine.

We also look for you to follow us on Facebook and Instagram will I know in one will a number of cases actually were the schools have tried to make reasonable accommodations to allow transgender identifying student to use a staff bathroom.

Just a single use or single person bathroom during the day as opposed to disrupting all of the other students by having a male going to the girls bathroom or something of that nature and that was not sufficient enough from the standpoint of the transgender identifying student and the parents or family about student and it really begs the question, or the proponents of this bill are they really seeking true equality, or are they really seeking to impose and use the power of the government to impose acceptance of these lifestyle and behavioral choices. The whole purpose true purpose of this bill. You know their real close down faith-based adoption providers with and harmful to children like we've seen in Illinois when commentaries was kicked out nearly 3000 children were displaced and it's really really sad to see what we definitely need to stay vigilant as you said not only on the national level but also on the state level in states across the country, especially in states like North Carolina where these classification, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression not currently recognized as civil rights status classifications and or dinner statute so we continue to fight to defend our state against those types of things but it's incredibly important that folks get active and involved in remain very aware of what's happening in speaking of remaining aware and being active and engaged Marybeth. How can folks are our listeners. Learn more about the equality act and follow its progress in Congress and also take positive steps to ensure that this very harmful legislation is not enacted into law reach out to your member member that voted for it, let them now that you're not happy with them though that voted against it. Tell them thank you so many times when members are there there for a fight and stand for the right thing. You never did like we don't give enough. Thanks you now and make her the day.

Now that hey we really appreciate you doing that and talk to Sen. Tellis talk to Sen. Burke and say we do not want this to be the law of the land.

We do not want you to support this or any other similar legislation, contact your Congressman and your senators absolutely and you're the ones that put them there.

They care about what you think you can go to our website FRC.org you'll have Washington watch Washington updates the county will put on you guys radio show talk about the equality act, a number of times and then update stories on the Pontiac number of times you can look me up on the website I got enough publications that I written about it for people to learn more. Thank you so much and we appreciate so much the great work that Tony Perkins and family research Council and you do not only on issues like the so-called equality but on so many other things that are our representatives in Congress are considering and acting upon it so important that people's voices are heard in you all or a great voice for us in our nations capital and were extremely grateful for that. So folks, please visit the FRC website www.frc.org again that's FRC.org as easily send correspondence to our congressional delegation in North Carolina. You can visit our website it and see family.org arguments and see family.org and visit our action Center where you can easily contact all members of Congress and encourage them to do the right thing on the equality and other pieces of legislation that their considering and without Marybeth Mondello. Thank you so much for being with us on family policy matters and were so grateful for the excellent work that you and FRC. Those on our behalf, so keep up the great work. God bless you and look forward to speaking with you again soon. Listening to family policy matters. We hope you enjoyed the program and plenitude in again next week to listen to the show online insulin more about NC families work to inform, encourage and inspire families across Carlotta go to our website it NC family.org that's NC family.org.

Thanks again for listening and may God bless you and your family