Truth about the Equality Act (from USCCB website)

 The bill is well-intentioned but ultimately misguided. The Equality Act discriminates against people of faith, threatens unborn life, and undermines the common good.  
Human dignity is central to what we believe as Catholics.  Every person is made in the image of God and should be treated accordingly, with respect and compassion.  That means we need to honor every person’s right to be free of unjust discrimination.
The Equality Act purports to protect people experiencing same-sex attraction or gender discordance from unjust discrimination. Although this is a worthy purpose, the Equality Act does not serve it. And instead of respecting differences in beliefs about marriage and sexuality, the Equality Act discriminates against people of faith precisely because of those beliefs.  In the process, the Equality Act codifies the new ideology of “gender” in federal law, dismissing sexual difference and falsely presenting “gender” as only a social construct.
The Equality Act:

• exempts itself from the bipartisan Religious Freedom Restoration Act, in an explicit and unprecedented departure from one of America’s founding principles, thereby infringing on religious freedom and making it more difficult for individuals to live out their faith
• forces religiously operated spaces and establishments, such as church halls, to either host functions that violate their beliefs or close their doors to their communities
• requires women to compete against men and boys in sports, and to share locker rooms and shower facilities with men and boys
• forces faith-based charities that serve all people to violate their religious beliefs, and threatens the welfare of thousands of beneficiaries of charitable services such as shelters and foster care agencies, by forcing a multitude of them to be shut down
• jeopardizes existing prohibitions on the use of federal taxpayer funds for abortion, likely pressuring or even mandating the performance of abortions by health care providers in violation of their consciences, and ultimately ending more human lives
• hinders quality health care, by forcing health care professionals, against their best medical judgment, to support treatments and procedures associated with “gender transition.” 

The Catholic Church is the largest non-governmental provider of human services in the United States, helping millions of Americans in need through its parishes, schools, hospitals, shelters, legal clinics, food banks, and charities.  Our core beliefs about the dignity of the human person and the wisdom of God’s design motivate both our positions on marriage, life, and sexuality, and our call to serve those most in need and the common good.  By running roughshod over religious liberty, the Equality Act directly undermines the Church’s ability to fulfill that call.

Let us take action now and oppose the Equality Act!
Contact your senators now! 

The Equality Act discriminates against people of faith and threatens unborn life. We need to take action. 
 1- Tell your elected officials to oppose it!
 2-The Diocese of Arlington is suggesting that we also call our senators and is providing the steps for doing it below.
Please take a moment to call your senators and urge them to oppose this damaging bill. Calls have an impact so encourage everyone you know to make their Senator's phones ring. 

Here is how:
Step 1:  Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and tell the operator the state you are from and the operator will connect you to one of your senator's offices.
Step 2:Use the talking points below to urge your senator to OPPOSE the Equality Act.
Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the other Senator from your state.
Sample script:
 “Hello, my name is ______and I live in ___________.  I urge you to oppose the Equality Actfor the following reasons (use any or all of the talking points): 

• The Equality Act would likely force taxpayers to fund elective abortions because of the way it redefines “sex” discrimination;
• It would likely force doctors and hospitals to perform abortions even if it's against their conscience or beliefs;
• It would likely require all employers with more than 14 employees - even religious organizations-to cover abortions in their health insurance plans;
• It would force vulnerable and, sometimes traumatized girls and women, in shelters or social service programs to share sleeping space, showers, and other spaces with men or be shut down;
• Women's prisons could be open to men who self-identify as women;
• It would shut down Catholic foster care and adoption agencies which have helped children in need for over a century without discrimination, just for protecting the children's right to be in a home with a married mother and father.

More key points are found HERE. 

Watch "The Equality Act and What It Means for Catholics" Nationwide Webinar

Learn more about the dangerous implications of this bill for people of faith and society in general if passed into law: 

You can watch each talk of the webinar here or the full webinar below.

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Resources for Understanding the Equality Act and Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues (SOGI)

These resources provided by the Diocese of Arlington are offered for your use. However, no endorsement of the sponsoring organizations is intended or implied.
Learn more about the Equality Act here and here.
Additional resources from the USCCB are available here.
Learn how to call your Senators here.
Find resources for your family, school or parish here.
Additional resources for families with school-aged children are available here.
Read more about medical treatments used to transition here.