The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the Equality Act took place Wednesday, March 17. It was at this stage in 2019 the bill was shut down, so we need your help to tell your senators to support this vital legislation.
The Equality Act would outlaw discrimination against LGBT people across the country but even with a pro-equality majority, senators on both sides of the aisle are hearing opposition to the basic protections LGBT people deserve. Now we need to pull out all the stops to make sure the voices of LGBT elders are heard.
Writing a letter to your senator is one of the most effective ways to make your voice heard and with an uphill battle in the Senate to pass the Equality Act, we need you to send a letter now.
Whether you are an LGBT elder, part of the LGBT community, or an ally, you can refuse to be invisible and make your voice heard. Now is the time to tell Congress to pass the Equality Act, because all LGBT people deserve to feel safe from discrimination, no matter where in this country they live.
Want more info? Half of LGBT people in the U.S. live in the 29 states that lack comprehensive, statewide protections. As a result, discrimination is still commonplace – and legal. LGBT elders face harsh consequences especially in housing, long-term care and even in healthcare settings. For example:
In 2014, an LGBT elder in Tucson, AZ was threatened with physical violence when he tried to assist his husband with his physical water therapy in their adult community pool. They fought back, but ended up moving from their home, in order to escape their neighbors.
Marsha Wetzel, who passed away in 2020, suffered physical abuse and harassment by fellow residents at an assisted living facility in Illinois, and bravely filed a discrimination suit in 2016 with legal representation by Lambda Legal.
In 2018, Mary and Bev Nance were denied admission by Friendship Village, a senior living community in St. Louis, Missouri, because the facility refused to recognize their same-sex relationship. They too, fought back against this discrimination, with legal representation by the National Center for Lesbian Rights.
This type of discrimination is also why older LGBT people are more likely to delay or not seek medical care for fear that providers will give inadequate services, leading to unique health challenges and social isolation. Congress should act now to pass the Equality Act, to permanently provide indispensable protections that will help LGBT older people age with the health, dignity and respect everyone deserves.
Send a letter now to remind your senators that LGBT elders refuse to be invisible.
