The Need

We all need basic protections. Civil rights are for everyone.

The federal Fairness For All Act is a balanced law that can ensure:

  • The freedom of Americans to participate in society consistent with their religious beliefs; and
  • A person isn’t denied a safe place to sleep at night or the ability to earn a living because of who they love or who they are.

The need: religious individuals 

  • Religious Americans have been forced into protracted, expensive legal battles to exercise their First Amendment right to live their faith.
  • Religiously affiliated hospitals and charities have faced the choice of violating the teachings of their faith to comply with state law or closing their doors to the sick, the poor, and the elderly.
  • Without federal legislation, religious primary schools and colleges live in jeopardy that their students will lose out on equal access to federal programs, such as the National School Lunch Program.

The need: LGBT people

  • Federal law does not adequately protect the civil rights of LGBT Americans.
  • The limited protections that do exist are in a minority of states, leaving LGBT Americans legally vulnerable depending on where in the U.S. they live and work.
  • Without federal anti-discrimination legislation, LGBT Americans in 29 states lack clear recourse and redress when they are fired, evicted, or refused service because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Roughly 40 percent of gay people will experience employment discrimination, and that number jumps to a staggering 90 percent within the transgender community.
Tyler Deaton, American Unity Fund
The current federal policy vacuum means many Americans do not feel free to exercise their First Amendment right to live according to their faith and to serve their community guided by their sincere beliefs.
Tim Schultz, 1st Amendment Partnership