Washington, DC — Today, the House of Representatives voted to pass the Equality Act, a bill to update our civil rights laws to strengthen protections for LGBTQ people and communities of color. The following is a statement from Muslim Advocates Public Advocacy Director Scott Simpson:

“The American Muslim community comprises people of every race, ethnicity, ability, gender identity and sexual orientation. LGBTQ Muslims and all LGBTQ people deserve to be protected from discrimination in all of its forms. The Equality Act is vital legislation that will modernize our civil rights laws and strengthen protections for people of all backgrounds. Under this needed update of civil rights protections, all communities, including all American Muslims, will be protected from discrimination by retail stores, airlines and more. The Senate now must pass this needed update to our civil rights laws. No one in the United States today should face discrimination because of who they are.”

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Muslim Advocates is a national civil rights organization working in the courts, in the halls of power and in communities to halt bigotry in its tracks. We ensure that American Muslims have a seat at the table with expert representation so that all Americans may live free from hate and discrimination.