Op-Ed: Discrimination is not an American value (But Republicans don’t know that)

By Sean Meloy, DNC Director of LGBT Engagement
2015 marked some really high highs and low lows for LGBT Americans. The Supreme Court ruled on Obergefell v. Hodges, legalizing same-sex marriage throughout the United States.

However, after this success, the GOP needed to find another way to push their anti-LGBT agenda. In Indiana they passed a “Right to Discriminate” law that made it legal for businesses to use religion as an excuse to refuse services to people because of who they are or who they love. Religion! Who could disagree with that rationale? Of course, it actually boiled down to government-sanctioned discrimination of LGBT people and had nothing to do with the actual freedom to exercise your religion.

Unfortunately, it looks like in 2016, Republicans have found new ways to write discrimination into our laws, rather than expand equal rights for all.

 

On Wednesday, the North Carolina General Assembly rushed the most sweeping anti-LGBT bill in the nation through the state legislature. It not only overturns local ordinances protecting many North Carolinians — including LGBT people and veterans — from discrimination, but it prevents municipalities from passing any new pro-equality ordinances. Thanks to the actions of Governor McCrory and the Republican legislature, there are now no legal protections for gay, lesbian, or transgender Americans in the state of North Carolina. Yesterday some North Carolinians woke up in a state where they could be fired, kicked out of their home, or denied services because of who they inherently are.

The Georgia legislature is currently debating a similar bill. HB 757 would allow religious organizations that receive government funding to discriminate against LGBT people, including denying services or employment to a candidate based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Simply put, HB 757 is legalized discrimination, and similar legislation is pending in state houses around the country.

Here’s the thing — this isn’t just about Indiana, North Carolina, and Georgia. It’s the entire Republican Party. It’s the Republicans in Congress. It’s the Republican presidential candidates.

When the Obama administration extended Title IX policy to cover gender identity, the Republican National Committee passed a resolution condemning the action. They encouraged states to pass laws contrary to the policy — similar to the one North Carolina passed yesterday.

RESOLVED, The Republican National Committee calls on the Department of Education to rescind its interpretation of Title IX that wrongly includes facility use issues by transgender students;

RESOLVED, The Republican National Committee encourages State Legislatures to recognize that these Obama gender identity policies are a federal governmental overreach, a misinterpretation of Title IX policies, and an infringement upon the majority of students’ Constitutional rights; and

RESOLVED, The Republican National Committee encourages state legislatures to enact laws that protect student privacy and limit the use of restrooms, locker rooms and similar facilities to members of the sex to whom the facility is designated.
And bills doing just that — rubber–stamping discrimination against trans kids — have been proposed in Virginia, Tennessee, Florida, Texas, South Dakota, and Oklahoma.

But this isn’t only a problem at the state level — especially not if Republicans get their way. Because (surprise!) every single Republican running for president has a really stellar record of supporting anti-LGBT legislation. As a congressman, John Kasich voted against legislation to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, and as a governor he watered down non-discrimination protections in Ohio. Ted Cruz opposed the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) in Texas and the federal Employee Non-Discrimination Act. And Donald Trump, the party’s new standard-bearer, loudly beats the drum of anti-marriage/pro-discrimination policies. Giving businesses, schools, and cities the right to discriminate is part of the Republican Party’s national plan, and their presidential candidates are ready to keep the ball rolling:

We can’t allow for this bigotry from the Republican Party to continue. No American should be discriminated against because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. That’s not very complicated.

We have a lot more work to do to ensure equality for all Americans. But one thing is clear: We must elect Democrats across the country — from the White House to the city council — who will stand proudly with LGBT Americans. Many people don’t know what happened in North Carolina and what is underway around the country. Will you do me a favor to help spread the word?

Share this with your friends and make sure they know what’s happening, and that it could happen in other states, too. We have to stand together while Republicans are in control… but we have to organize and get Democrats elected who will have the LGBT community’s back. Discrimination is not an American value, so let’s make sure the Republican Party knows that.

Sean Meloy is the Director of LGBT Engagement at the Democratic National Committee.