Equality Act caught in crosshairs at Nashville shelter for abused women, children
The Equality Act— which passed the U.S. House in February—would prevent discrimination against LGBTQ people in housing, education and other key areas of life. (AP Photo)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — The Equality Act— which passed the U.S. House in February—would prevent discrimination against LGBTQ people in housing, education and other key areas of life.
Advocates at Agape, which serves abused women as well as transgender people in Nashville, say a federal mandate that could require them to house the two together would be problematic.
“When we're looking at The Equality Act, that's something we have to be in consideration of is how they're feeling as conditions might change, as the environment where they're going to stay, who's going to be staying in the shelter," said Residential Program Manager at Agape, Rachel Herman. "It's something as a provider as an advocate for victims of domestic violence, we want to make sure we're servicing all people and all people well."
RELATED: The controversy over The Equality Act
While some local shelters say they need leeway on who they house together, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, says everyone is afforded equal rights under the constitution. But she tells FOX 17 News’s Stacy Case, this law preferences some rights over the rights of others the way it’s written now.
“There are already cases that are beginning to go to court for dealing with prisons, dealing with abuse shelters. What we are seeking to do is retain these protections for women,” says Sen. Blackburn.
The landmark legislation faces an uphill battle in the Senate which had its first hearing on the measure two weeks ago.
The Equality Act would prohibit LGBTQ and gender identity discrimination.
FOX 17 News reached out to Democratic Congressmen Steve Cohen and Jim Cooper to get their response to these concerns about at domestic violence shelters and women’s prisons. Neither got back with us.
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