TLC joins a number of civil rights group in opposing the legislation, denouncing it as an affront to existing civil rights protections. Read our joint statement here.
Today the “Fairness for All” Act was introduced in the House. This bill is led by Representative Chris Stewart, a Republican from Utah. In response, Kris Hayashi, executive director of Transgender Law Center (TLC), the largest national trans-led organization advocating for a world in which all people are free to define themselves and their futures, issued the following statement:
The “Fairness for All” Act introduced today unfortunately would not achieve what it claims.
Under the Trump administration, the trans community has faced an onslaught of discriminatory attacks. As the Department of Health and Human Services attempts to deny us healthcare, we have fought to protect trans health with trans people of color living with HIV and AIDS leading the way. As the Department of Homeland Security continues to elude accountability and oversight for the dozens of people who have died in their custody, we have protested in front of immigration prisons and pursued justice for Black and LGBTQ migrants. We have supported the leadership of Black trans women, who are organizing in communities across the country to put an end to systemic violence. We have responded to each crisis by demanding what we know we deserve: the right to live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination regardless of gender identity or expression.
As others have said, the Fairness for All Act is an important acknowledgement by conservative leaders that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people and their families face widespread discrimination and that federal protections should be in place. Nevertheless, it falls far short of what our communities need and deserve.