Colorado Congresswoman a Leading Force Behind the Equality Act

On July 23, House and Senate Democrats introduced a landmark bill that would see non-discrimination protections extended to the LGBT community on a federal level. Titled the Equality Act, the bill has a very close Colorado connection, with US Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-01) being one of its key original co-sponsors.

According to the congresswoman's press release, the Equality Act would "amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other existing laws to prohibit discrimination based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity in the areas of employment, education, cre dit, housing, federal funding, jury service, and public accommodations."

"I think it's really important that if we're going to say we're a society that's based on equality, we should have true equality throughout our statutes," says DeGette, who is vice chair of the LGBT caucus in Congress and has been since it was formed in 2008.

Colorado is actually one of few states that already prohibits discrimination against LGBT people in public accommodations, school, or in the workplace. In 31 states, it's still legal to fire someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and in 28 states same-sex couples can't even sue if their landlord evicts them for those same reasons. Only 14 states have existing laws that prohibit discrimination against LGBT students in schools.

DeGette says no one in Congress has asked her about Colorado's law yet, but she believes that will come with time, as she and her colleagues introduced the bill just two weeks ago and Congress is now on August recess.

It could be a different story in the fall. "The Colorado example can be a good example as we press for passage of this legislation to show that it can and does work in this state."

The Equality Act serves as a wakeup call following the euphoria around the legalization of same-sex marriage. Whereas before many same-sex couples felt punished because they couldn't get married, in many states they can now suffer punishment for getting married.

"[The introduction of this bill] is a demonstration that we still don't have full equality in this country," says DeGette.

"When the Supreme Court came down with its decision for marriage equality, the leadership of the LGBT caucus then said, ‘Okay, now it's time for us to really make a bold statement going forward.'"

And they have with the Equality Act, the first such comprehensive bill of its kind. DeGette's office played a pivotal role in soliciting co-sponsors for the bill, of which it already has more than 200 — at last count, 168 in the House (all Democrats) and 39 in the Senate (37 Democrats and two Independents). There have been no Republican co-sponsors.

"I guess our job in the fall is to try and get some Republican co-sponsors and to convince people that the Republican leadership needs to bring this bill up through committee and to the floor for a vote."

With Republican majorities in both the House and Senate, the success of this bill is in question. But DeGette is optimistic. "We will have equality, because it's the right thing to do and in America we're based on equal justice for all," she says. "And so we will have equality, but I think it'll be a fight just like marriage equality was a fight."

Marriage equality took decades to become a reality and it was the courts that ultimately decided its fate. Can the LGBT community expect to wait for years to see the Equality Act pass? It's a fair question, especially considering that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which the Equality Act is an extension of, has been introduced in every Congress except one since 1994 and still hasn't become the law of the land.

And so for citizens who support this bill, it comes down to the usual options — vote for candidates who do support equality, and put pressure on those in office who don't. Every Democrat in the Colorado delegation supports the Equality Act, but to date no Republican has.

"If we elect members of Congress who support equality, then it won't take years," says DeGette. "But if we continue on with the current leadership we have that supports [inequality], then it could take a long time."