I’ve written a bit on the LGBT topic (examples can be found here) — below is an excerpt from a post by Ryan T. Anderson citing Nancy Pelosi:
Nancy Pelosi made headlines last week stating that if Democrats reclaim the House of Representatives, a top agenda item will be to pass laws banning disagreement on LGBT issues.
Of course those aren’t the exact words she used, but when “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” are elevated to protected classes in antidiscrimination law, that’s the effect that the government policy has.
But not every disagreement is discrimination, and our law shouldn’t suppose otherwise.
The Heritage Foundation has long opposed the expansion of antidiscrimination laws to elevate “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as protected classes. Where enacted, these laws — known as SOGI laws — are frequently used as swords to persecute people with unpopular beliefs, rather than as shields to protect people from unjust discrimination.
Part of the problem with these laws is that they treat reasonable actions as if discriminatory.
So, for example, if a baker creates custom wedding cakes for marriages, but won’t design or create them for same-sex unions, that’s considered “discrimination” on the basis of “sexual orientation.”
If a Catholic adoption agency works to find permanent homes for orphans where they’ll be raised by a married mom and dad, but won’t place children with two moms and no dad, or two dads and no mom, that’s considered “discrimination” on the basis of “sexual orientation.”
If a small business provides health insurance that covers a double mastectomy in the case of breast cancer, but not for women who want to transition and identify as men, that’s considered “discrimination” on the basis of “gender identity.”
If a school provides separate bathrooms and locker rooms for male and female students, but won’t let male students who identify as women into the female places, that’s considered “discrimination” on the basis of “gender identity.”
These reasonable policies on disputed questions should not be penalized by the government as if discriminatory.
Read more: Patriot Post
