The Equality Act (H.R.5, 117th Congress) sounds benign, but it is a huge misnomer. Rather than promoting equality for the good of our country as a whole, it creates inequality in many different areas. As this bill is being considered by our legislators, we must stand together and show the Senate that we oppose it. If passed, it will be difficult for those of us who disagree to reverse it again.

Some groups that will be significantly impacted by this legislation are the following:

• Women & Girls: The act allows all people to use a “shared facility, including a restroom, a locker room and a dressing room, that is in accordance with the individual’s gender identity,” putting biological females at a much greater risk for rape, assault, and other forms of harassment or psychological trauma (Sec. 1101). Biological males, even those who do not undergo transgender surgery, will be allowed to participate in activities and receive services that were previously reserved for women, such as sports, beauty pageants, and women-only grants/scholarships. The Equality Act would undo the rights that women have long fought for.
• Religious communities: Faith-based organizations would be in danger if this bill was passed into law. The Equality Act states that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act cannot be used as a defense against any kind of perceived discrimination (Sec. 1107). Churches and religious schools/colleges would be considered public accommodations, forcing them to comply with the requirements set by the Equality Act if they wish to continue operating, despite that they may need to violate their foundational religious beliefs in doing so (Sec. 3). 
• Unborn babies: The Equality Act undermines pro-life protections such as the Hyde Amendment (which does not include instances where abortion is obligatory to save the mother’s life, or if the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest). It expands the definition of sex to include pregnancy/birth-related conditions, which include voluntary abortion, and prohibits treating them less favorably (Sec. 1101).
• Medical practitioners & LGBTQ+ patients: The act could result in health-related hazards for people whose gender identities do not correspond with their biological sexes. If medical practitioners assess an individual based on a gender that is different from their sex, they may face obstacles to providing appropriate healthcare for that patient (for example, chronic kidney disease needs to be treated differently for females and males). In addition, healthcare professionals would not be allowed to dissuade people from engaging in operations that could do harm to their physical and mental health.
• Parents & Children: Parental rights will gradually be eroded as a result of this legislation. Parents will not be able to restrict their children from undergoing life-altering events such as hormone therapies and surgeries, even if their children are minors. As early as kindergarten, children across the country will be exposed to the idea that sex is something “assigned at birth” rather than part of their individual biology, and they will collectively be led in the direction of pursuing different gender identities and engaging in treatments such as those mentioned above.

To read more about specific effects and implications of the H.R.5 Equality Act, please visit the following sites:

• www.frc.org/equalityact 
• https://breakpoint.org/the-equality-act/
• https://www.heritage.org/gender/heritage-explains/the-equality-act

If you feel that women, children, the family, the unborn, science, health, religion, and etc. are worth protecting, please show your support by signing this petition to oppose the H.R.5 Equality Act.

To our decision-makers in the U.S. Senate, please take into consideration the welfare of all the people of this country.