Rainbow bLAWg

In a move to protect the rights of religious bigots, the Kansas House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved anti-gay segregation in the state. House Bill 2453 explicitly protects religious individuals, groups and businesses that refuse services to same-sex couples, particularly those looking to get married. It now goes to the Senate for a vote where there are 31 Republicans and 9 Democrats.

If passed, this would make Kansas as the first state to legalize segregation of gay and straight people in virtually every arena of life, and would prevent religious individuals and organizations from getting sued, or otherwise punished, for not providing goods or services to gay couples – or for not recognizing their marriages or committed relationship as valid.

But the bill has a subtle loophole. Although Republican lawmakers claim that it applies only to gay couples, it could allow business and bureaucrats to discriminate against gay individuals as well, as long as this discrimination is somehow ‘related to, or related to the celebration of any marriage, domestic partnership, civil union or similar arrangement.” Since there would not be a need for charges to be filed, bigots may never have to prove that their actions were legal.

Defending the bill on the House floor, Republican state Rep. Charles Macheers absurdly proclaimed that “discrimination is horrible. It’s hurtful. … It has no place in civilized society, and that’s precisely why we’re moving this bill.”

On the other side of the fence:  “HB 2453 is a blatant attempt to maintain second-class citizen status for taxpaying gay and lesbian Kansans,” Equality Kansas state chairwoman Sandra Meade said. “Kansans across the state are rightly appalled that legislators are spending their efforts to pass yet another piece of legislation that seeks to enshrine discrimination against gay and lesbian people into law.”

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Carrie Stone