Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) & Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) look at the week of Feb. 22 to introduce the Equality Act with a vote expected as early as March./1
The Op-Ed “In Statehouses Everywhere, Republicans Have One Agenda” by Jennifer Finney Boylan (NYT, Jan 31, 2021) misses several marks by several miles./1
We want to point out three particularly egregious errors:/2
First, the author attacks measures to protect safety & fairness in women’s sport as “targeting young queer people,” and suggests they aren’t based on science. They are. E.g. World Rugby cites dozens of scientific articles to underpin its ruling to keep women’s rugby safe./3
The public is largely unaware that the promotion of false beliefs is having a devastating impact on many LGB people, especially women and girls. We will address this disinformation by making the following points clear:/1
In 2021 we are focusing on four issues of crucial importance to the LGB community:/1
First: Clarify the shocking implications of the Executive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation./2
Second: Address the false narrative promoted by gender identity activists that some children are “trapped in the wrong body” and that this condition is cured by prescribing puberty blockers./3
While we welcome the anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people, the Exec Order signed yesterday is egregiously broad & effectively ELIMINATES 'sex' as a protected class. #BidenErasedWomen with this far-reaching order, which will decimate women's sports, safety & privacy.
The very definition of homosexual depends on 'sex,' & this Exec Order harms lesbians & gays by effectively telling them that 'sex' doesn't matter--only 'gender identity.' We're already facing abuse for refusing partners based on 'gender identity' instead of sex. #BidenErasedWomen
We will be pursuing an agenda that is largely aligned with the agenda of the UK-based organization @AllianceLGB. The following is a brief description of our concerns:
We are LGB: lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals living in the United States. We define ourselves in terms of same-sex sexual orientation. Sex, not “gender.”/1of12
Our group is led by lesbians, but we welcome gay men & bisexuals. We also welcome support from trans and straight people who endorse our aims. /2of12