WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump issued an executive order today stating his administration’s commitment to “protect and vigorously promote religious liberty;” while also directing the IRS to loosen enforcement of the Johnson Amendment, a law passed in 1954 that regulates how 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organizations – like churches – can engage in political activities. The executive order also allows businesses, non-profits, hospitals, and other entities to deny access to certain healthcare services – like contraception – based on religious beliefs.
Freedom for All Americans will closely monitor the interpretation and implementation of today’s order, and remains concerned that future discriminatory actions could materialize in the coming days or weeks.
Kasey Suffredini, Freedom for All Americans’ Chief Program Officer, issued the following statement:
“This administration has sent signals that it does not view the LGBT community as truly deserving of equal protections under our nation’s laws. We remain concerned that we may see executive action at a future date that explicitly singles out LGBT people for discrimination.
“President Trump has insisted that he cares about LGBT people, but the actions of his administration just haven’t backed up those words to date. The vast majority of Americans support protecting LGBT people from discrimination, and just this week advocates re-introduced the Equality Act in Congress with that exact aim. Rather than allow rumors of future discriminatory actions to continue festering, the president should stand definitively with the supermajority of Americans who support nondiscrimination protections. Freedom for All Americans is committed to winning this fight – so that one day soon, every single LGBT person in this country is protected from discrimination.”
In just its first 100 days, the Trump administration has undertaken a number of anti-LGBT actions, including:
- Rescinding critical Title IX guidance that affirmed the dignity of transgender youth;
- Nominating Tennessee state Senator Mark Green to serve as Army Secretary – despite Green’s long track record of advancing anti-LGBT bills and saying transgender people have a “disease;” and
- Indicating via the Department of Justice that it would no longer support a regulation banning discrimination against transgender people in healthcare.
According to a March poll from PRRI, 70 percent of Americans – including 61 percent of Republicans – support nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people. That poll also found that nearly two-thirds of Americans oppose allowing small business owners in their state to refuse to provide products or services to gay or lesbian people if doing so violates their religious beliefs.
Freedom for All Americans is the bipartisan campaign to secure full nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people nationwide. Our work brings together Republicans and Democrats, businesses large and small, people of faith, and allies from all walks of life to make the case for comprehensive nondiscrimination protections that ensure everyone is treated fairly and equally.
READ MORE: https://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2017/05/04/my-mom-is-a-lesbian-a-foster-adopt-childs-letter-to-donald-trump/