Talking Our Way to Common Ground Between Religious Freedom and LGBT Rights

Guest: Robin Fretwell Wilson, Professor of Law, University of Illinois College of Law and Founder of Tolerance Means Dialogues; Shannon Minter, Legal Director, National Center for Lesbian Rights; Cicily Bennion & Alexis Watson, BYU students and #ToleranceMeans Essay The US House of Representatives passed a law last month called the Equality Act. It prohibits discrimination against LGBT individuals in a wide variety of areas including education, employment and housing. If the Senate approves the measure, President Trump is unlikely to sign it. Opponents –including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints –say the Equality Act threatens the “right of religious organizations and schools to establish faith-based employment and admissions standards and preserve the religious nature of their activities and properties.” Does this have to be an either-or situation? Either we protect LGBT rights or we protect religious freedom and a win for one is a loss for the other?