My bill to outlaw workplace and housing discrimination against LGBT individuals will pass, because the people of Utah believe in liberty and justice for all, not just for some. Most Utahns are shocked to learn that businesses leasing 4 or more housing units currently can evict renters solely because they are gay. Utahns are shocked to learn that businesses employing 25 or more people currently can fire employees solely because they are bisexual. Most Utahns believe that such discrimination is wrong, and that it must stop.
Government regulates commerce to establish baseline protections. A business leasing 4 or more units is engaged in commerce. A business employing 25 or more employees is engaged in commerce. Those businesses can be expected to adhere to certain standards. For example, under existing laws, those businesses currently cannot evict/fire anyone based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, or religion. Those protections have helped make us a better state and have helped make our economy robust. Adding protections for “sexual orientation and gender identity” will help make Utah even better and our economy even more robust.
Some people argue that these protections are not needed because workplace/housing discrimination against LGBT individuals is not occurring in Utah. I have 2 responses. First, if that is the case, the bill hurts nothing, because no business will ever violate its provisions. Second, c’mon. If you don’t believe LGBT individuals face adverse actions at work or in housing based solely on their sexual orientation and gender identify, then you need to meet some LGBT individuals and hear their stories. They will personally verify to you all data showing that significant discrimination does exist in Utah.
Employment and housing are very real concerns. Fortunately, it is a distinct minority opinion to believe that it is okay to evict or fire someone solely because that person is black (or white), Mormon (or any other religion), or gay (or straight). Current law (and my bill) carves out exemptions for small businesses and people renting out basements or an apartment or two (or three). But beyond that, when businesses are engaged in commerce, they can be expected to act fairly in the marketplace. It is time to stand with our LGBT citizens and to outlaw employment and housing actions based solely on sexual orientation or gender identity.
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