Lawmakers are about to vote Wednesday on a bill that would create new protections for sexual orientation and gender identity.
In Virginia, you can be fired for being gay. You can be turned down for a loan because you’re transgender.
Now, that’s wrong, says Delegate Mark Levine, a Democrat from Alexandria. He has a bill that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. And that would apply to employment, public accommodations, state contracting, apprenticeship programs, housing, banking and insurance.
“If I walk into a shop, no one should be able to say, ‘Oh Mark you can’t shop here because you’re gay.’ That’s not cool,” Levine says.
Republican Delegate Glenn Davis tried to amend Levine’s bill to create an exemption for religious organizations.
“I support a nondiscrimination policy, but I believe we have to respect people’s religious beliefs," Davis explains. "And we have to allow churches to help everyone regardless of belief and faith and not have government put them in a box that says if you don’t like this one thing don’t help anyone that’s not your faith.”
Davis' attempt to add that religious exemption to Levine’s bill failed, and House members are set to cast a final vote on the bill Wednesday afternoon.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
