Republicans Assail Equality Act in Senate Hearing
Legislation would amend Title VII of ‘64 Civil Rights Act to include LGBTQ Americans
BY MATT TRACY
A Senate Judiciary Committee
hearing on the
Equality Act March
17 was dominated by
Republican lawmakers who remained
fi xated on false narratives
surrounding transgender athletes
and painted the bill as one that attacks
women across the country.
The hearing also featured transgender
youth and other witnesses
who outlined the urgent need to
pass the legislation, which would
amend Title VII of the 1964 Civil
Rights Act to broadly implement
protections for people on the basis
of sexual orientation and gender
identity. The bill recently passed
the House of Representatives, but
faces long odds in a divided Senate.
Despite polling numbers showing
wide support for the inclusion
of transgender athletes in sports,
Republicans barreled ahead with
their strategy of elevating their nationwide
campaign to ban transgender
individuals from playing
sports in accordance with their
gender identity.
Mississippi Republican Cindy
Hyde-Smith, an established foe
of LGBTQ rights, said she played
sports in her youth but fears that
the Equality Act “would totally
undermine girls’ sports.” Hyde-
Smith’s home state recently became
the fi rst in the nation this
year to impose a ban on transgender
athletes after passing a law
that will undoubtedly face legal resistance
one year after Idaho’s ban
on trans athletes was blocked by a
federal judge.
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, like
some others, turned to offensive
POLITICS
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas described the Equality Act as an affront on women’s sports.
➤ EQUALITY ACT, continued on p.27
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