Defending LGBTQ+ Rights

LGBTQ+ rights are civil rights and human rights. We must uphold our Constitution's promise of equal protection under the law. We must reject any efforts that undermine or violate the inherent dignity and worth of every individual.

While there has been remarkable progress in the last decade, there is still much work to be done. Arkansas is one of the few states where it is illegal for local governments to enact anti-discrimination laws that would protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. There have even been efforts by the state legislature to call for a constitutional convention to ban same-sex marriage.

Our campaign is premised on the belief that all Americans, LGBTQ+ or otherwise, must be treated and embraced as equal citizens. We will fight so that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people can live and associate openly without fear of discrimination or harassment.

We must:

End anti-LGBTQ discrimination by expanding federal civil rights protections and other bills to fight discrimination.
Enact the Equality Act, which would provide explicit anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people, including employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs, and jury service.
Enact legislation that would prevent any school program or activity receiving federal assistance from discriminating against a public school student on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Amend the Fair Housing Act to provide explicit protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Advance policies to ensure that our students can attend school without fear of bullying or harassment.
Stand up for the transgender community by opposing laws and policies that seek to bar them from public life.

Chintan believes that we should respect the inherent dignity and worth of all persons, including respecting everyone's names and pronouns. Improper gender pronoun usage, whether intentional or accidental, leads to psychological harm and social isolation. In order for us to achieve a more just and inclusive society, we must respect and embrace the different identities of all persons. This respect must be demonstrated in the words we use and in the ways we act around transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people.