“Today
is a sad day for America and especially for LGBTQ youth who have grown
up believing in the inevitable move toward fairness and justice for our
community. That path toward justice ebbs and flows, and today the
Supreme Court led us away from one of the basic tenants of American
idealism – that all are treated equally. While the Supreme Court made a
narrow ruling focused exclusively on a state agency’s treatment of a
Colorado baker, opponents of equality will use it to try and open the
floodgates. Homophobic forces will purposefully over-interpret the
ruling and challenge existing non-discrimination laws by refusing
service to LGBTQ people in even more situations – denying them dinner at
a restaurant, lodging at a hotel, or renting an apartment.
“State
and local civil rights enforcement offices are now on the frontlines in
protecting LGBTQ people from widespread discrimination, so it is
critical we pressure elected leaders to fully fund these agencies and
ensure they have the resources to push back on attempts at
discrimination. LGBTQ elected officials like Colorado State Rep. Leslie
Herod have led efforts to build up state and local enforcement agencies,
and now we need all elected officials who support equality to
prioritize these offices given today’s ruling. Our representatives must
respond.”
