Story at a glance
- Multiple large companies have endorsed the HRC’s campaign to pass the Equality Act.
- Awaiting a Senate hearing, the Equality Act would forbid discrimination against LGBTQ+ community members.
- Several states have passed anti-LGBTQ+ bills into law.
A letter undersigned by more than 400 major corporations stands in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community as multiple states see legislation restricting health care access passing through their chambers.
The statement, distributed by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), is part of a larger Business Coalition for the Equality Act, a movement establishing a group of companies to lobby for the passage of the Equality Act in the U.S. Congress.
The Equality Act would prohibit the discrimination of people on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
“We are seeing growing support from business leaders because they understand that the Equality Act is good for their employees, good for their businesses and good for our country,” HRC President Alphonso David said in a statement.
The current influx of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation stems from President Biden’s executive order prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. States including Montana, Mississippi, South Dakota, Utah, Arkansas and Tennessee have either introduced, heard, or ratified a bill prohibiting transgender students from playing on sports teams associated with their gender identity.
Others, including New Hampshire, Texas, Utah, Montana and South Carolina have bills introduced in state legislatures that restrict teen access to transgender health care options.
Some of the 416 companies that pledged their support include Accenture, Apple, Delta Airlines, Amazon, Gilead Sciences, Kaiser Permanente, Microsoft, Starbucks, Pepsi and Tesla.
Currently, the Equality Act was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and passed on Feb. 25, though it has been stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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