In our work on behalf of LGBTQ people and people living with HIV, we have fought for years against group-based discrimination, stigma, and violence against members of our community. Our community has experienced being profiled and harassed by the police, and a continuing history of being labeled, stigmatized and rejected as outsiders and as a dangerous threat by society.
When introduced in November 2015, Indiana Senate Bill 100 was presented as a bill to add sexual orientation and gender identity protections to Indiana law, which lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Hoosiers urgently need. Unfortunately, the bill that was introduced provides little meaningful protection from discrimination for transgender people and includes damaging carve-outs and exemptions targeting all LGBT people in Indiana. While broadly problematic, there are six key problems with SB100:
SB100 denies LGBT people protections others receive, invites discrimination against transgender people, eliminates local civil rights laws, and protects both licensed professionals who discriminate and religiously affiliated medical and social service providers that discriminate with public funds.
More than 100 state bills so far have aimed to use religious beliefs as an excuse for discrimination. The idea is to allow businesses and public employees to mistreat LGBT people and consider married same-sex couples as unmarried.
Today, Indiana elected officials announced that they have agreed on new language to modify the recently enacted law that invites discrimination against LGBT people and others in the state.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence rushed today to sign SB 101, the “Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)” — so-called, though it’s not restoring religious rights; it’s expanding them.
Sandler, a plaintiff in Lambda Legal's Indiana marriage case, is scheduled to testify today before the Indiana House Judiciary Committee at a hearing on SB101. This bill would allow private businesses, individuals and organizations to discriminate against anyone in Indiana on religious grounds.
The Indiana House Judiciary Committee will consider a bill today that seeks to allow private businesses, individuals and organizations to discriminate against anyone in Indiana on religious grounds.