Despite the Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage, and widespread acceptance of LGBTQ, the rights of sexual minorities in America are still not protected by federal law. In the past few years, the number of legal cases related to discrimination against LGBTQ representatives has been growing (Green, 2019). The House of Representatives passed the bill protecting sexual minority members from discrimination in public and commercial life. Significantly, the bill presupposes the exclusion of any religious exceptions, which has sparked a reaction from conservative groups opposing any law which recognizes gender and orientation as legal categories. At the moment, many Americans doubt the existence of discrimination against LGBTQ representatives, while they claim that they face it daily. However, due to differences in legislation in various states, it is challenging to document such cases.
In the past 30 years, LGBTQ activists have begun to fight for members of sexual minorities’ rights, which has led to many legislative changes. However, due to the existence of various laws, it has become increasingly difficult to regulate the legal framework into which one or another case of discrimination fits. Therefore, currently, activists are in favor of adopting a single equality law. However, the adoption of such a law has displeased conservative groups, who are proposing an alternative of exemptions for certain institutions. Thus, the debate about freedom of religious belief and the desire to eliminate discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation remains relevant. The current situation complicates the problem’s solution since, from the political and legal perspective, it is difficult to find a compromise in such a conflict of radical views. Despite the extensive public support for the LGBTQ community in recent years, many Americans also consider religious beliefs significant. Thus, the legislative conflict between sexual minorities and conservative groups may become more acute.
Reference
Green, E. (2019). America moved on from its gay-rights moment—and left a legal mess behind. The Atlantic.