Oppose The Equality Act - U.S. House
Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.
The Problem
The Equality Act is well-intentioned but ultimately misguided. It discriminates against people of faith, threatens unborn life, and undermines the common good.
The U.S. House of Representatives is voting on the Equality Act soon, an act which in many ways does the opposite of create true equality. The Equality Act needs to be opposed. Instead of respecting differences in beliefs about marriage and sexuality, the Equality Act would discriminate against people of faith.
The Equality Act would: punish faith-based organizations, such as charities and schools who serve everyone in their communities, simply because of their beliefs; force girls and women to compete against boys and men for limited opportunities in sports, and forces them to share locker rooms and shower spaces with biological males who identify as women; risk mandating taxpayers to fund abortions; force people in everyday life, and especially health care workers, to support gender transition; and expand what the government considers a “public” place, forcing even some parish halls to host functions that conflict with Catholic beliefs.
The Challenge
Human dignity is central to what we believe as Catholics. Every person is made in the image of God and should be treated accordingly, with respect and compassion. That means we need to honor every person’s right to be free of unjust discrimination.
The Equality Act purports to protect people experiencing same-sex attraction or gender discordance from unjust discrimination. Although this is a worthy purpose, the Equality Act does not serve it. Instead of respecting differences in beliefs about marriage and sexuality, the Equality Act discriminates against people of faith precisely because of those beliefs. In the process, the Equality Act codifies the new ideology of “gender” in federal law, dismissing sexual difference and falsely presenting “gender” as only a social construct.
The Equality Act:
Exempts itself from the bipartisan Religious Freedom Restoration Act, in an explicit and unprecedented departure from one of America’s founding principles, thereby infringing on religious freedom and making it more difficult for individuals to live out their faith
Forces religiously operated spaces and establishments, such as church halls, to either host functions that violate their beliefs or close their doors to their communities
Requires women to compete against men and boys in sports, and to share locker rooms and shower facilities with men and boys
Forces faith-based charities that serve all people to violate their religious beliefs, and threatens the welfare of thousands of beneficiaries of charitable services such as shelters and foster care agencies, by forcing a multitude of them to be shut down
Jeopardizes existing prohibitions on the use of federal taxpayer funds for abortion, likely pressuring or even mandating the performance of abortions by health care providers in violation of their consciences, and ultimately ending more human lives
Hinders quality health care by forcing health care professionals, against their best medical judgment, to support treatments and procedures associated with “gender transition”
The Catholic Church is the largest non-governmental provider of human services in the United States, helping millions of Americans in need through its parishes, schools, hospitals, shelters, legal clinics, food banks, and charities. Our core beliefs about the dignity of the human person and the wisdom of God’s design motivate both our positions on marriage, life, and sexuality, and our call to serve those most in need and the common good. By running roughshod over religious liberty, the Equality Act directly undermines the Church’s ability to fulfill that call.
Your Action
If you have...
One Minute: Send a message to your U.S. Representative urging them to oppose the Equality Act
Five Minutes: Call your U.S. Representative urging them to oppose the Equality Act. After hitting submit you will be taken to a screen to enter your phone number. You will then receive a phone call from the Minnesota Catholic Conference which will connect you with your Representative's office. We recommend using the script provided and leaving a message if no one answers.
More Time: Record a short video to send to your Representative using the link after the phone call. Further inform yourself on the Equality Act through the Ethics and Public Policy Center and these facts sheets from the USCCB:
The Equality Act: Its Impact on Government Funding of Abortion
The Equality Act Puts Charities at Risk
Oppose The Equality Act - U.S. House
Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.
The Problem
The Equality Act is well-intentioned but ultimately misguided. It discriminates against people of faith, threatens unborn life, and undermines the common good.
The U.S. House of Representatives is voting on the Equality Act soon, an act which in many ways does the opposite of create true equality. The Equality Act needs to be opposed. Instead of respecting differences in beliefs about marriage and sexuality, the Equality Act would discriminate against people of faith.
The Equality Act would: punish faith-based organizations, such as charities and schools who serve everyone in their communities, simply because of their beliefs; force girls and women to compete against boys and men for limited opportunities in sports, and forces them to share locker rooms and shower spaces with biological males who identify as women; risk mandating taxpayers to fund abortions; force people in everyday life, and especially health care workers, to support gender transition; and expand what the government considers a “public” place, forcing even some parish halls to host functions that conflict with Catholic beliefs.
The Challenge
Human dignity is central to what we believe as Catholics. Every person is made in the image of God and should be treated accordingly, with respect and compassion. That means we need to honor every person’s right to be free of unjust discrimination.
The Equality Act purports to protect people experiencing same-sex attraction or gender discordance from unjust discrimination. Although this is a worthy purpose, the Equality Act does not serve it. Instead of respecting differences in beliefs about marriage and sexuality, the Equality Act discriminates against people of faith precisely because of those beliefs. In the process, the Equality Act codifies the new ideology of “gender” in federal law, dismissing sexual difference and falsely presenting “gender” as only a social construct.
The Equality Act:
Exempts itself from the bipartisan Religious Freedom Restoration Act, in an explicit and unprecedented departure from one of America’s founding principles, thereby infringing on religious freedom and making it more difficult for individuals to live out their faith
Forces religiously operated spaces and establishments, such as church halls, to either host functions that violate their beliefs or close their doors to their communities
Requires women to compete against men and boys in sports, and to share locker rooms and shower facilities with men and boys
Forces faith-based charities that serve all people to violate their religious beliefs, and threatens the welfare of thousands of beneficiaries of charitable services such as shelters and foster care agencies, by forcing a multitude of them to be shut down
Jeopardizes existing prohibitions on the use of federal taxpayer funds for abortion, likely pressuring or even mandating the performance of abortions by health care providers in violation of their consciences, and ultimately ending more human lives
Hinders quality health care by forcing health care professionals, against their best medical judgment, to support treatments and procedures associated with “gender transition”
The Catholic Church is the largest non-governmental provider of human services in the United States, helping millions of Americans in need through its parishes, schools, hospitals, shelters, legal clinics, food banks, and charities. Our core beliefs about the dignity of the human person and the wisdom of God’s design motivate both our positions on marriage, life, and sexuality, and our call to serve those most in need and the common good. By running roughshod over religious liberty, the Equality Act directly undermines the Church’s ability to fulfill that call.
Your Action
If you have...
One Minute: Send a message to your U.S. Representative urging them to oppose the Equality Act
Five Minutes: Call your U.S. Representative urging them to oppose the Equality Act. After hitting submit you will be taken to a screen to enter your phone number. You will then receive a phone call from the Minnesota Catholic Conference which will connect you with your Representative's office. We recommend using the script provided and leaving a message if no one answers.
More Time: Record a short video to send to your Representative using the link after the phone call. Further inform yourself on the Equality Act through the Ethics and Public Policy Center and these facts sheets from the USCCB:
The Equality Act: Its Impact on Government Funding of Abortion
The Equality Act Puts Charities at Risk