To a US Senator: support the Equality Act

Personalize. Letters from people who have lived in the protection gap (LGBTQ+ Americans denied housing, fired, refused service) carry particular weight. If your senator is undecided or formally opposed, your letter is especially valuable.

Dear Senator [Last Name],

I’m writing as a constituent in [city/town] to ask you to support the Equality Act and to advance it for floor consideration in the current session.

The Supreme Court’s 2020 Bostock v. Clayton County ruling held that Title VII’s prohibition on sex discrimination in employment includes sexual orientation and gender identity. The 2022 Respect for Marriage Act gave federal statutory protection to same-sex and interracial marriages. Both were important wins. Both were also incomplete.

The Fair Housing Act’s federal protections do not, as a matter of statutory text, cover sexual orientation or gender identity. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act, federal jury-service rules, and federally funded programs operate under similar gaps. Many states fill these gaps in state law; many do not. The result is a patchwork in which federal civil-rights protection depends on which state someone lives in.

The Equality Act would close those gaps systematically:

1. Amend Title VII, Title IX, the Fair Housing Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, federal jury service, and federally funded programs to explicitly cover sexual orientation and gender identity.
2. Clarify that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act cannot be used as a defense to civil rights violations.
3. Provide consistent federal protection regardless of which state someone lives in.

[Personalize: name a specific concern if applicable. Examples: “I’m an LGBTQ+ constituent who has experienced [specific discrimination]”; “My family member faced [specific situation] when [moving/working/applying for housing]”; “Our [community/workplace] has dealt with [specific issue]”. Specific personal experience makes this letter substantially more effective than abstract policy argument.]

The Equality Act has passed the US House multiple times. It has stalled in the Senate. Polling shows broad and durable public support for the substantive protections, including in states whose legislatures have moved in the opposite direction.

I’m asking you to support the bill on the merits, to advocate for floor consideration, and to resist amendments that would weaken its core protections.

I’d appreciate knowing your position.

Thank you for your service.

Sincerely,

[Your name] [Your address]