"All We Want is Equality" : Religious Exemptions and Discrimination against LGBT People in the United States

R. Thoreson

In the wake of the Supreme Court's 2015 marriage equality ruling, lawmakers across the United States introduced dozens of bills that would permit moral or religious objectors to decline to serve LGBT people. In at least eight states, exemption bills have been enacted into law, creating a license to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This document based on interviews with 30 people affected by discrimination and 82 advocates and service providers, documents how such laws license discrimination, discourage people from accessing services, and harm the dignity of LGBT people. It urges lawmakers at the state and federal level to strengthen nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people and repeal sweeping exemptions that put the rights and wellbeing of marginalized groups at risk.