The Equality Act

Why Aren’t We Talking About the Equality Act?

"As President, she’ll fight to pass the Equality Act to enshrine anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQI+ Americans in health care, housing, education, and more into law."  - KamalaHarris.com/Issues

The Equality Act is quietly shaping up to be one of the most significant pieces of legislation in recent memory, with gender identity inserted into the framework of discrimination protections. And as a key promise in Kamala Harris' 2024 election platform, voter need to understand what it is and what it means. This shift has already had a profound impact on sports, locker rooms, and school curriculums, and now it seeks to be mandated at the federal level.

This movement has been driven by a coordinated political effort:

• In 2019, Tammy Baldwin, a long-time advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, co-sponsored the Equality Act, which would enshrine protections based on gender identity into federal law.

• On Day 1 of his presidency, Joe Biden expanded Title IX protections to include gender identity, significantly changing how gender is treated in schools and athletics.

• Similarly, Governor Tony Evers of Wisconsin issued Executive Order No. 1 on his first day in office, making gender identity a priority in state policies.

Now, Vice President Kamala Harris has made the Equality Act a signature piece of her 2024 election platform. As part of her vision, she has stated: “As President, she’ll fight to pass the Equality Act to enshrine anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQI+ Americans in health care, housing, education, and more into law.”

Baldwin, in lockstep with Biden and Harris, is pushing to take the Equality Act over the finish line. She was featured at the DNC Party Convention to The broad application of this law, however, raises concerns about how biological differences in strength, endurance, and privacy issues in sex-segregated spaces will be managed, especially in women’s sports and schools. With no room for case-by-case evaluation, the law would treat all cases equally, potentially creating new inequalities.

The Impacts of This Activism Are Already Being Felt

This activism is not just theoretical—its impacts are already being felt in sports, locker rooms, and school curriculums. Policies that prioritize gender identity without adequate discussion are reshaping these spaces in ways that many feel are rushed and unconsidered. This legislation and others like it are forcing a change in attitudes without sufficient debate. For many, the worry is not about transgender rights but about the lack of dialogue on how these broad laws will impact others, especially women and children.

We need to come together and find solutions that work for everyone. Instead of legislating from one side, we should sit down with activists and collaboratively explore the solutions that benefit all groups. But today, anyone raising concerns about these real-world consequences is often labeled transphobic or homophobic, which effectively silences them from the debate. These are legitimate concerns that deserve to be heard, not dismissed.

The Need for Open Dialogue

While the Equality Act is framed as a necessary step to fight discrimination, it prioritizes gender identity over biological considerations, sparking a debate on fairness and privacy. Parents, voters, and citizens deserve an open conversation about these consequences before the Act becomes federal law.

For more information, you can explore the legislative history and how it impacts sports, schools, and public accommodations. Let’s start having this conversation openly and respectfully—before policies are enacted that cannot be undone.