Posted on 01/31/2020 10:35:25 AM PST by Perseverando
A bill that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to Virginia's nondiscrimination law cleared committees in the House of Delegates and Senate this week and appears to be on its way to becoming law in the Old Dominion.
A version of the bill known as the Virginia Values Act was shepherded through the Senate committee by Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria). In the House, it was sponsored by Mark Sickles (D-Franconia), where it passed by a 16-6 vote, with all Democrats and three Republicans voting in favor.
The mood among activists was celebratory.
Democrats hold a 55-45 majority in the House of Delegates, and a 21 to 19 majority in the Senate.
Vee Lamneck, the executive director of Equality Virginia, an LGBTQ advocacy group, told MetroWeekly, "We're confident lawmakers will quickly pass this legislation to protect LGBTQ Virginians."
CBN News contacted attorneys with two religious liberty law groups – Greg Baylor, senior counsel of the Alliance Defending Freedom's Center for Legislative Advocacy, and Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel – to find out what impact this law may have on religious organizations.
"Every Virginian deserves to be treated with dignity and respect," Baylor told us in a statement. "Unfortunately, laws that elevate sexual orientation and gender identity to protected classes have a proven record of undermining both fairness and freedom for all citizens."
Baylor explained, "In states and local communities across the nation, laws similar to the proposals advancing in Virginia have empowered the government to force people who willingly serve everyone to promote messages and participate in events that violate their faith or convictions."
Like Baylor, Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel was unequivocal that the Virginia Values Act in its current form will have a direct impact on churches and religious organizations.
(Excerpt) Read more at 1.cbn.com ...
Snip: According to Staver, there is NO exemption as far as the public accommodations provision in the bill is concerned. If an organization is open to the public, like most religious organizations, churches, and schools are, the exemption does not apply. That means, as an example, that a church taking in the homeless overnight in the winter legally could not insist that sleeping arrangements or bathrooms be separated by biological gender. The same would apply, he says, to a Christian school. The law would require no separation of bathrooms or showers based on biological gender.
That sounds far-fetched to many people, but Greg Baylor says that kind of thing is being enforced already in other places that have similar gender-based laws. He contends that it has huge potential to harm women and girls.
If my kid’s teacher showed up in drag, that would be the last day my kid would attend that school.
[[”Every Virginian deserves to be treated with dignity and respect,”]]
They mean Except for Baptists of course
[[laws similar to the proposals advancing in Virginia have empowered the government to force people who willingly serve everyone to promote messages and participate in events that violate their faith or convictions.” ]]
Bull- muslims aren’t forced to do anything of the kind-
They mean Except for Baptists of course
we’re speeding head first into the end times I believe-
Biological sex now means nothing- people can identify as whatever they want apparently- and everyone is ok with it and think it’s actually scientifically valid to do so-
States are doing away with laws holding criminals accountable- doing away with bail, making theft under $1000 not a felony- just a misdemeanor- paying people to not commit crimes- allowing felons to vote- allowing illegals to drive and to vote- shoving a lie of climate change down everyone’s throats-
Pushing immoral mentally sick people on kids in schools and libraries with ‘transgender reading hours’- forcing kids to learn about homosexual lifestyles and experimentation-
Attacking conservatives using government agencies to do so-
Forcing Christian businesses to violate their consciences-
we are on the express lane to end times-
I completely agree with your last post.
Felonies are reduced to misdemeanors while thought crimes become felonies.
Yes, we are certainly in the last days. Pray and watch, and try to set the captives free.
[[Felonies are reduced to misdemeanors while thought crimes become felonies.]]
Excellent statement- how true it has become-
we should have made baptist the state religion when we had the chance!/
What dignity is there in faggotry, and how does it earn respect?
The madness continues. Seems to me every business has a right to insist on professional dress from its employees, which precludes skirts for anyone with male genitalia. Unless you live in Scotland.
I support this actually, I know, strange.
Seriously?
Do you support men in the women's restroom? Boys in the girls locker room?
This would include rules for membership AND EMPLOYMENT by that religious organization.
According to the Rats, the 1st Amendment only applies to them, not to those who disagree with them. Do as they say, not as they do.
Why do these limp-wristed, milquetoast family advocates always have to preface their position with “everyone deserves dignity and respect?” Do rapists deserve dignity and respect? How about serial rapists and murderers? Robbers? Burglars?
He undermines his argument at square one.
Gee, remember when these freaks were stuffing sodomite “marriage” down our throats they swore their perversity wouldn’t affect our churches.
Guess what?
btt
Keep voting democrat Virginia.
Only government should not be allowed to discriminate. Private entities and individuals should be able to discriminate on any basis whatsoever - race, creed, ethnicity, etc. Anti-discrimination laws have abolished our right to free association.
People have been so brainwashed that they think it would be terrible for a business to do this, but what would happen? They would pay a penalty of some kind in the form of lost business or even boycotts for this action. The great economists Williams and Sowell agree. If one business discriminates against a certain group of people, there are many others just down the street that would be happy to serve them. Not being able to make your own decisions about your business, club, church, or property has given government control over our lives.
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