On June 26, 2015, the dream of marriage equality was realized. After years of loving in the shadows and fighting for equity, the sacred relationships of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Americans became privileged alongside heterosexual relationships. Back then, marriage was the furthest thing from my mind. Nevertheless, my eyes filled with tears at the thought of knowing if I ever wanted to marry my same gender lover, I could.
Four years later, while a lot closer to marriage personally, I'm realizing our great win has fallen far short of our goal of equality. For while I have the right to marry my beautiful same gender lover, Robert, as LGBTQ Americans we do not have the right to housing, public accommodations, employment, reproductive justice, and economic security. In many places throughout America, we can be evicted, fired, forced out of a bakery, denied health care, prohibited from adopting, or declined for credit just for being gay.  
Despite significant steps forward, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Americans lack basic legal protections in most states across the country. The need for action is clear—nearly two-thirds of LGBTQ Americans report having experienced discrimination in their personal lives. The Equality Act (H.R. 5/S. 788) would provide consistent non-discrimination protections in federal law based on sexual orientation or gender identity. And for the first time since its original introduction in 1974, the Equality Act has a fighting chance of passing the US House of Representatives.
In this critical moment, we need strong, powerful, and public support for the Equality Act from people of faith like you.

Please SIGN ON to Faith Leaders Demand Congress Support the Equality Act.

REGISTRATION: JOIN US Tuesday, April 23 from 3:00-4:00 pm ET for a webinar for faith leaders and activists.

On this webinar, we will....

• Review the Equality Act
• Share why people of faith support it
• Learn about the specific actions you can take to support its passage.

RSVP link: Advancing LGBTQ Civil Rights through the Equality Act: A Webinar - Tuesday, April 23rd @ 3pm 
This webinar is brought to you by members of the Faith Coalition for the Equality Act. #FaithforEquality

Speakers Include:

• Avery Belyeu, Regional Director of the South Central Regional Office of Lambda Legal; trans-femme and queer educator, student pastor, and theologian
• Laura Durso, Vice President of the LGBT Research and Communications Project at the Center for American Progress
• Lisbeth Meléndez Rivera, Director of Faith Outreach and Training at the Human Rights Campaign
• Rabbi Ariel "Ari" Naveh, Senior Jewish Educator, Illini Hillel at Cohen Center for Jewish Life at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Kimberly Shappley, an ordained evangelical minister, proud mother of a beautiful transgender girl, and Faith Outreach Coordinator for Equality Texas
• Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart, a daughter of Detroit, Faith Work Director for the National LGBTQ Task Force, and adjunct faculty member in the Theology and Religious Studies department at Villanova University

For more information on the Equality Act visit:

• Faith Leaders Rally in Support of the Equality Act
• NWLC Legal Director Sunu P. Chandy testifies in support of the Equality Act before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee
• Rev. Dr. Gwendolyn Howard​ shares how the trans/non-binary community is impacted in Trans Rights & Religious Liberty Are Not in Conflict
• SIGN ON: Faith Leaders Demand Congress Support the Equality Act
• Faith Organizations Who Have Endorsed the Equality Act
• HRC: The Equality Act
• Center For American Program - Infographic: The Equality Act Explained
• National LGBTQ Task Force - The Equality Act - One For All