OPINION: Congress passes Equality Act, protecting Americans from discrimination

Last Thursday, Feb. 24, the House of Representatives made history at the Capitol, passing the first ever piece of legislation made to explicitly protect LGBTQ+ Americans from discrimination. In the midst of a two-year long battle, the House voted 224 to 206, sending the bill to the Senate. However, this is not the first time it has been passed through part of Congress. 

The Equality Act was first introduced in 2019 to the 116th Congress, where the House voted 236 to 173. Upon receiving word from former President Trump that if passed through the Senate, the bill would be vetoed, the Senate never bothered to act upon it. The Equality Act was then reintroduced to the 117th Congress on Feb. 18, which was quickly passed considering President Joe Biden’s promise to sign the bill into law during his first hundred days. The bill was strictly supported by party lines, with all democrats and only three republicans voting in favor. If signed into law, the Equality Act would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to prevent discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation. 

Though the passing of the Equality Act is historical and deserves to be celebrated, the amount of time it has taken to be passed through Congress for the second time is reflective of America’s retraction of positive progress and change. LGBTQ+ people have a right to be treated the exact same as a cisgender heterosexual person would be, and that is becoming a cultural norm in the twenty first century. The fact that it has taken our Congress so long to acknowledge this is appalling, but the fact that 206 adults who are meant to represent this country actively voted against basic equal rights for LGBTQ+ Americans is disappointing and vile. A vote against the Equality Act is a vote against everyday Americans who are deserving of love and protection.