We Still Need The Equality Act : The Importance of Reintroducing the Equality Act in the 119th Congress

Spring 2025 • Kendall Kalustyan He/Him

The Equality Act envisions a country where regardless of what state you live in, LGBTQ+ people have the same basic protections that all other Americans have enjoyed for decades. This is why the Human Rights Campaign was proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with congressional allies and partners this spring to reintroduce the Equality Act in the 119th Congress.

Since it was introduced by former Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) and Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) in 2015, HRC has worked hand-in-hand with legislators to draft and introduce this legislation for the past decade. The Equality Act would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in key areas of life including employment, credit, housing, education, public places and services, federal funds and jury service. Not only would the Equality Act protect LGBTQ+ Americans, but it would also expand protections for women, communities of color and people of faith.

Currently, the bill is sponsored in the House of Representatives by Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), the chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, and in the Senate by Sens. Merkley, Baldwin, and Booker. The Equality Act is cosponsored by the entire Senate Democratic Caucus, and all but two House Democrats.

Despite some protections in many states, the U.S. is still composed of a haphazard patchwork of protections for LGBTQ+ people. In fact, in 2025, 29 states still lack comprehensive anti-discrimination protections for the LGBTQ+ community. Current civil rights laws protect people based on their race, color, national origin, and in most cases, sex, disability and religion. But no existing federal laws protect people explicitly based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

This includes folks such as Carter Brown, who excelled in his career, but when Brown was outed at work as transgender, months of discrimination and harassment followed before he was ultimately fired. It also includes Queen, a Black transgender woman who was forced into homelessness after her landlord discovered she was transgender.

Furthermore, since inauguration, the Trump administration has signed a raft of anti-LGBTQ+ executive actions aimed at restricting the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ people. These actions include efforts to:

Restrict access to health care for transgender people of all ages
Restrict transgender youth from participating in sports
Censor classrooms and punish inclusive and welcoming schools for their support of LGBTQ+ youth
Rollback nondiscrimination protections in health care settings and others
Restrict access to accurate federal identity documents for transgender and nonbinary people, and more

Due to these attacks, a coalition of civil rights organizations issued a statement urgently calling on lawmakers for the swift passage of this legislation:

“That is why passing the Equality Act is so necessary in this moment. The bill is more than a lifeline for those in danger of losing necessary protections; it ensures all people in this country — Black, white or brown, Native or newcomer, queer or straight, transgender or not — can live freely without constant fear of discrimination or retaliation. The Equality Act is a declaration that the United States continues to fight for freedom for all.”

Advocates for Transgender Equality, ACLU, Equality Federation, Family Equality, GLAD, GLSEN, the Human Rights Campaign, NBJC, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, National Women’s Law Center and PFLAG.

The Equality Act has passed the House of Representatives twice with bipartisan support in both 2019 and 2021, however it has yet to reach the president’s desk. Due to the Republican majority controlling both chambers of Congress and President Trump’s opposition, it is not expected that congressional leaders will allow a vote in the near term. However, that does not mean that we give up on reintroducing this bill and driving forward support.

Each time we reintroduce the Equality Act is another opportunity to talk to members of Congress and the press, and to educate the American people about the importance of what a future with the Equality Act could look like. Reintroducing this bill is how we keep driving public support to sway moderates and Republicans to support the bill, and we are gaining steam. Earlier this year, the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute found that national support for the Equality Act topped 75 percent, including a majority of Republicans and Independents. The Equality Act has also garnered support from businesses and over 650 organizations, including civil rights, education, health care and faith-based groups.

So how can you get involved in the effort to drive forward the Equality Act? Contact your member of Congress! Every member of Congress keeps a record of outreach they receive from constituents, so contacting their office will show your member that the Equality Act is a priority for their constituents. Since January alone, HRC members and supporters placed a whopping 30,000 calls into Congress urging their members to cosponsor the bill.

At its heart, the Equality Act ensures you are treated fairly regardless of who you are or whom you love. While roadblocks lie ahead, it is our duty as advocates and allies to keep the fight alive towards a better tomorrow. The Respect for Marriage Act was originally introduced in 2009, only to pass 13 years later in December of 2022 in the aftermath of the Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court decision. Change can be slow and progress is often incremental, but together, we can work toward a future where equality for LGBTQ+ Americans is enshrined in law.