A federal judge in Detroit gave business owners the go-ahead to fire transgender people, proving once again that religious freedom is just code for bigotry.
According to The Washington Post, a funeral director who went through gender reassignment surgery in 2013 wrote a letter to her boss that said, “At the end of my vacation on August 26, 2013, I will return to work as my true self … in appropriate business attire.”
In other words, she was going to come to work in a skirt suit.
Thomas Rost, owner of the funeral home, fired her two weeks after he read the letter.
“It was right before he was going to go on vacation and I just — I said — I just said, ‘Anthony, this is not going to work out,’” Rost testified, according to The Washington Post.
Aimee Australia Stephens, formerly known as Anthony, sued her former employer, claiming he discriminated against her based on her gender identity and sex, and Rost used the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act to justify firing her. Classy.
Judge Sean F. Cox ruled in favor of Rost. According to the judge, allowing Stephens to wear a skirt would “impose a substantial burden on the ability of Rost to conduct his business in accordance with his sincerely-held religious beliefs.”
Please, show me the Bible verse that says being transgender is sinful. I know the book makes a couple of references against gay sex, but I don’t remember it saying, “Thou shalt not have gender reassignment surgery,” or dictating who can and cannot wear skirts.
Americans have used religious freedom in some way, shape or form to promote intolerance since the beginning of this country. From slavery to racial equality to LGBT rights, religious freedom never really meant anything good.
This ruling highlights the importance of everything at stake in the 2016 presidential election. I understand people’s qualms with Hillary Clinton, but at least she wouldn’t appoint judges who would bring the LGBT community back in the dark.
Supreme Court judges aren’t the only appointments the president makes, and we need more progressive judges around the country to protect people in deep conservative states. Donald Trump won’t appoint judges who have people’s best interest at heart, and he certainly won’t appoint judges who will protect the LGBT community.
Don’t write off both candidates as equally terrible, and don’t choose not to vote just because you think you know how the election is going to turn out. Research candidates, don’t be complacent and encourage others to do the same. If not, we may hear of more judges like this guy.
Cody Sibley is a 20-year-old mass communication junior from Opelousas, Louisiana.