The Indiana legislature on Monday voted in favor of a “religious freedom” bill that is a thinly disguised attempt to allow anti-LGBTQ discrimination. Here’s how you can help stop it, wherever you live.
Governor Mike Pence has said he will sign the legislation, reports the Indy Star. It would stop state and local governments from “substantially burdening” a person’s exercise of religion, except in cases of a “compelling governmental interest” and using the least restrictive means possible. As the Washington Post says, however, the bill is really designed to “protect business owners who want to decline to provide services for same-sex couples.”
Many are speaking out against the bill, including actor George Takei, the GenCon gaming convention (Indianapolis’ largest convention), the Disciples of Christ (a Church that has long held a convention there), and openly gay former NBA player Jason Collins, who asks the governor if discrimination will be legal at this year’s Men’s NCAA Final Four in—you guessed it—Indianapolis.
What can you do?
- Sign the pledge to Gov. Pence, or call him at 317-232-4567 to let him know you oppose the bill. (If you don’t live in Indiana, tell him you won’t visit and will encourage your friends not to visit.) You can also send him a tweet!
- If you live in Indiana, you can also look up your lawmakers and send them e-mail.
- Visit Veto SB 101, which is keeping track of where various large organizations and employers in the state stand on the bill. Check out the ones that are for it or undecided, and call, send them e-mail, or tweet to them, especially you have a connection with them or use a lot of their products. Ask that they tell the governor not to sign. Similarly, thank the organizations and employers that are opposing the bill.
- Visit Freedom Indiana for a bunch of easy social media links you can use to spread the word.
As HRC notes, this is only one of a wave of similar legislation that has been filed in states across the country. Let’s all work to stop it.