Proposed anti-LGBT law amended to make discrimination against straight people legal too
A proposed anti-LGBT law has been amended in order to apply to straight people as well… and suddenly its backers think it’s discriminatory.
Republican Members of Congress had introduced the First Amendment Defense Act following the Supreme Court ruling on equal marriage, allegedly aiming to safeguard religious freedom by making it legal to discriminate against married gay people.
The original draft of the law said: “The Federal Government shall not take any discriminatory action against a person, wholly or partially on the basis that such person believes or acts in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction that marriage is or should be recognised as the union of one man and one woman, or that sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage.”
The important bit being that it protects the beliefs that “marriage is or should be recognised as the union of one man and one woman, or that sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage.”
But the latest draft of the law is much wider.
It now states: “The Federal Government shall not take any discriminatory action against a person, wholly or partially on the basis that such person believes, speaks, or acts in accordance with a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction that marriage is or should be recognised as the union of two individuals of the opposite sex; or two individuals of the same sex; or extramarital relations are improper.”
The new wording of the legislation emphasises legal protection for the belief that “marriage is or should be recognised as the union of two individuals of the same sex”. It also legalises discrimination against people who have had extramarital relations regardless of sexuality.
Unsurprisingly, the evangelical groups who were hoping to use the law to discriminate against gay people are not happy about it targeting straight people too.
Mat Staver of the anti-LGBT Liberty Counsel said: “I urge all members of Congress to reject the proposed amendments to the First Amendment Defense Act that include same-sex marriage.
“Pro-family organizations will no longer be able to support what was once a good bill unless it returns to its original language regarding marriage as between one man and one woman.
“The last minute hijacking of the otherwise good bill must be reversed to protect people of faith.”
