Last week, Mississippi’s governor signed the most aggressively anti-LGBTQ law in the nation. House Bill 1523 allows businesses, individuals, and religious organizations to legally deny services, employment, and housing to LGBTQ people as long as they really, really believe their religion wants them to.

Sign the petition: Denounce Mississippi’s pro-discrimination law.

The Religious Liberty Accommodation Act specifically protects three religious beliefs: same-sex marriage is wrong, sex outside of marriage is wrong, and gender is fixed and never changes from what is assigned to a person at birth. Under this law, no one can face penalties for discrimination based on these beliefs.

The law encourages and protects hate against gays and lesbians, transgender people, and even single parents. People will be legally denied access to necessary goods from businesses, social services, jobs, and public facilities like bathrooms.

There is no religious freedom under HB1523. Even people who do not share these religious beliefs will be forced to abide by them or find it impossible to live at all. This is not only wrongheaded and mean-spirited, it’s unconstitutional. Religion does not free government of the duty to uphold the constitution and basic civil rights.