A recently proposed rule by the Department of Housing and Urban Development would allow shelters to “establish a policy that places and accommodates individuals on the basis of their biological sex, without regard to their gender identity,” permitting explicit discrimination against transgender individuals.
HUD needs to hear overwhelming opposition to this inhumane policy, which panders to bigotry in the name of religious freedom.
Religion plays a major part in anti-transgender discrimination, as it does in many such historical patterns, FFRF underscores in its official comment opposing this proposed rule. The voices openly calling for the right to discriminate against transgender individuals almost invariably cite “religious freedom” as a justification. Catering to these bigoted demands not only endorses such discrimination, but also endorses a particularly vile religious belief in violation of our entirely secular Constitution’s requirement that religion and government remain separate.
Read FFRF’s full statement on the proposed rule.
HUD is accepting public comments on this proposal and it is imperative that we take action to make sure this doesn’t become law.
STEPS TO COMMENT:
Click on the red “Take action” link below, which goes to the official comment page.
You can also view the rule’s page here.
Fill out the corresponding comment form. We have provided suggested talking points below. Feel free to copy and paste the suggested message. Personalized comments are most influential.
Make sure your comment includes this RIN Number: 2506-AC53
SUGGESTED TALKING POINTS
I strongly oppose HUD’s proposed rule to permit housing shelters to discriminate based on gender identity. Not only is this a callous policy decision, it will jeopardize the health and safety of transgender homeless Americans — people who already face discrimination on multiple fronts and desperately need government support. One in five transgender persons in the United States has experienced homelessness at some point in their lives. This cruel HUD rule would only further compound such bigotry.
This rule is undeniably motivated by a distorted definition of religious privilege, which impermissibly places the weight of the government behind the oppressors rather than the oppressed, allowing shelters receiving federal funds to turn away an individual simply because they are transgender, or because a shelter worker thinks they might be transgender based on their appearance.
Do not allow federally funded agencies to discriminate based on a person’s gender identity. Do not allow this rule to become law.
