Religious Freedoms and LGBTQ Rights

More and more jurisdictions are outlawing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Protection based on gender identity is not quite as extensive but is also making strides. States and municipalities have banned discrimination against LGBTQ people in employment, housing, parenting, education, and public accommodations. At the federal level, the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) provision that denied federal marital benefits to same-sex married couples and in June 2015 declared that all same-sex marriage bans are unconstitutional. While Congress has failed to act, presidents have by executive order (EO) forbidden discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in federal employment and by federal contractors. Full protection is still in the future, as roughly half the states have ...