Speaking out as member of the LGBT community, it is in my humble opinion that legislation must be passed with the safety and overall wellbeing of our small minority group in mind. Now, in an increasingly supportive and accepting time, must we as a society make strides in protecting this 3.5% of our population. As a group, we face many issues such as social, workplace, housing, and even bathroom discrimination. It should be a priority for we as a nation to pass a bill protecting my rights and the rights of others.

In Kansas, I may be fired solely based on my sexual orientation and/or gender identity. This statistic alone creates an extreme double standard. Furthermore, this fact is true for the majority of the United States. In only twenty-two states and the District of Columbia, the approximate 9 million Americans identifying as LGBT have job security.  In the majority of the U.S., however, life for such individuals is dangerous; imagine losing your livelihood due to whom you love and whom you label yourself as.

Housing discrimination against the LGBT community remains completely legal in 28 states. This means that if you don’t identify with the heteronormative majority of the population, you may be subject of discrimination in the housing market. Only twenty-two states have implemented laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. Unfortunately, only an estimated 40% of our LGBT population lives in states forbidding such discrimination. This statistic only grows more sickening when we address the issue of senior housing. A major national study claimed that 48% of older same-sex couples have faced discrimination when applying for senior housing. In a study conducted by the Equal Rights Center, researchers enlisted participants aged 50 and older to apply for the same senior housing. The participants posed as both same-sex couples and heterosexual couples. The test found that 48% of those with same-sex spouses had experienced in part at least one type of differential treatment. This includes higher fees, fewer housing options, and more extensive application requirements than heterosexuals.

Those who believe that the LGBT community already has equality might say, “Gay marriage is legal. There’s nothing left for them to fight for”. Such statements only further root the ignorance and lack of information surrounding the gay rights movement. Several people may think that homophobia ended with the right to marry. Many may believe that discrimination ended with the right to marry. Some may even think that the LGBT community as a whole only campaigned for the right to marry who we love. Yes, the right –no- the privilege granted to us by the United States Supreme Court, helped to nullify some of the barbaric actions that have taken place; but one sole right doesn’t make everyone equal. Homophobia has and very well may live on forever.
Several months after becoming a server at Trails Café, I experienced one of my first homophobic encounters. After about an hour of constant berating and verbal attack a woman called me a “fairy fag”. Homophobia has been known to be ugly and a formidable foe challenging those who seek equal rights for anyone identifying as LGBT. And it is for this reason that I believe a bill must be ratified protecting us from varieties of discrimination such as that found in employment and housing markets. Without the backing of legislation, we may never see equality in these basic aspects of everyday life.