Congressional bill proposal H.R. 5 – deceptively titled the “Equality Act” – is currently threatening to rewrite the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin in public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit and the jury system.

The Equality Act (the “Act”) fundamentally undermines the Civil Rights Act by completely redefining “sex” – at the Federal level – to include sexual orientation and gender identity.  This radically new definition of sex replaces the traditional, biology-based definition with an unscientific, individual-specific, relative standard.  Such a new definition will undermine the Civil Rights Act and with it religious freedom, free speech, parental rights and personal privacy. 

If the Act becomes law, citizens will lose their right to object to this radical re-definition of sex – the law does not accommodate citizens on the grounds of religion or even basic biology.  The Act is intolerant and contrary to the Unites States’ protection against discrimination in the Civil Rights Act and the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.

Four Ways the Act Threatens Our Society:

1.      It will severely restrict religious freedom.

Many Christians, Muslims and Jews believe that marriage is between one man and one woman. Under the Act, not acknowledging gay marriage or even just refusing to bake a cake to celebrate a gay marriage would become punishable under federal law – providing another legal means of attacking and prosecuting Christian business owners like Colorado baker Jack Phillips.

2.                  It will compel speech.

Pacific Justice Institute is currently defending a Washington public school teacher in the Tahoma School District, who is being compelled to use a student’s preferred pronouns, contrary to the student’s biological sex and contrary to the teacher’s sincerely held religious beliefs. The Tahoma School District is forcing this teacher to violate his religious belief that God created human beings male and female.  The Act will trample this teacher’s Constitutionality protected First Amendment rights.

3.                  It will lead to more parents losing custody of their children.

Pacific Justice Institute fought for a mother who was in danger of having her parental rights terminated by the court for refusing to agree with a psychiatrist’s assessment that her child’s sex should be changed. If our law defines sex to include gender identity or gender preference, many more parents will lose custody of their children for simply refusing to acknowledge preferred sex.   

4.                  It will violate the rights of women, especially the right to privacy.

The Act would require adherence to its radical new view of sex and gender, characterized by self-defined “orientation” and “expression,” in public places such as restrooms. Any man, whether transgender or not, can self-identify as female and access a female restroom or locker room under the Act.  In women’s shelters, any man will be able to sleep alongside women attempting to escape abuse.  The proposed Act will impose a misogynistic nationwide policy that would leave women and children vulnerable to predators.

The Act’s radical redefinition of sex in the Civil Rights Act will also accelerate the loss of opportunities for girls and women to compete exclusively with other females in athletic competitions.  These opportunities, which are supposed to be protected by Title IX, are already being taken away from women across the nation.  In Connecticut, two boys who identify as girls have taken 15 girls’ state track-and-field titles since 2017; these titles were held by nine different girls in 2016. 

The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed the Act.

The Senate is currently considering the Act, and it already has forty-six Senators as named co-sponsors.

Even the New York Times described the Act’s radical changes as “sweeping.”  Please sign this petition today and do not let Congress sweep away our rights.  Please protect religious freedom, free speech, parental rights and personal privacy.  Save the Civil Rights Act and sign today.