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Lambda Legal Condemns Passage of Discriminatory Religious Refusal Bills in Michigan and North Carolina

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June 11, 2015
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Jon Davidson, Legal Director and Eden/Rushing Chair of Lambda Legal

Today was a discouraging day for equality and justice. Michigan today enacted a law that allows state-funded adoption and foster care agencies to turn people away on religious grounds, and North Carolina enacted a law allowing government magistrates to refuse to perform civil marriage ceremonies for couples whose union they object to on religious grounds. For anyone with delusions that the work for LGBT rights is close to being done, think again.

These laws will be used to deny loving homes to Michigan children in need and to subject same-sex couples to the indignity of being turned away by government-funded agencies in Michigan and by government officials in North Carolina. That that discrimination is based on religion is no excuse.  Discrimination inspired by religious views is still discrimination.

These measures are in some ways worse than what happened in Indiana because Michigan and North Carolina will be using tax dollars to support such discrimination. Good public policy helps people—it shouldn’t hurt them.

We expect Lambda Legal’s Help Desk will light up with calls from those who suffer discrimination imposed by these laws, and we stand ready to help.”

To reach Lambda Legal’s Help Desk visit: lambdalegal.org/help

Read the press release.