facebook
rss
twitter
  • About
    • Contact
    • Elementary & Secondary Education Department
    • Social Concerns Department
  • Legislative Review
  • Issues
    • Catholic Education
    • Faith and Politics
    • Health Care
    • Life and Dignity
    • Marriage and Family
    • Religious Liberty
    • Social Justice
  • Bishops’ Statements
    • En Español
  • Resources
    • Bulletin Inserts
    • Church Documents
    • PA Catholic Statistics
    • Related Sites
    • Send A Letter to The Editor
  • Subscribe
    • RSS Feeds
    • Via E-mail
  • Contact
  • Podcast

Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression & Religious Liberty

October 03, 2013
by Hill
gay, gay marriage, gender expression, gender identity, HB 300, lesbian, non discrimination, Religious Liberty, SB 300, sexual orientation
Comments are off

constitutionThe state legislature has returned to session after the summer break. Many priorities dominate the legislative agenda, but one bill poses serious concerns about religious liberty. House Bill 300 and Senate Bill 300 would add “gender identity or expression” and “sexual orientation” to Pennsylvania’s non-discrimination law.

This legislation would create a legally preferred class for conduct and behavior. Legislative proposals like this one are attempts to eliminate and marginalize institutional and individual religious or moral objection to the sexual conduct of others.  In other states, this law has shuttered Catholic adoption agencies and trampled religious liberty. HB 300/SB 300 could mean that Catholic agencies would no longer be able to make contributions to the common good of Pennsylvania without violating our religious beliefs.

To elevate these categories to preferred status inevitably leads to either forcing people to provide service in their businesses which they find morally offensive, and yes, even sinful, or forcing them to abandon their chosen work since acting consistent with their values would subject them to legal coercion, governmental sanction and penalty.  It would force a Christian baker to bake a cake to celebrate a same-sex commitment ceremony.  It forces an attorney who would provide adoption assistance to take the case of a same-sex couple seeking to adopt.  It forces a church to permit any of its employees to cross dress (for gender expression).  It forces a Christian summer camp for girls to employ female counselors who identify as men. It forces the owner of a duplex who lives on one side of the house with his wife and children to rent the other half to a same-sex couple. These conflicts have arisen in other states that passed this law.

In reality, HB 300/SB 300 expose even more Pennsylvanians to discrimination. Simply put, this legislation is intolerant and prejudiced against people of faith.

Click here to send a message to the legislature urging them to vote “no” on HB 300/SB 300.

About the Author
Social Share
  • google-share

News From Around PA

  • USCCB: U.S. Bishops’ Doctrine Committee Issues Guidance to Catholic Health Care Institutions on Respecting the Fundamental Order of the Human Body
  • Photo Feature: Annual Catholic Charities Appeal Mass
  • Principal- 2023-2024 school year -- Butler Catholic School, Butler, PA
  • After School Program Director and Group Supervisor - Two positions Saint Bede School, Pittsburgh
  • Pep Rally to Send St. Clare/St. Paul Basketball Team to State CYO Tournament on March 17, 2023
  • Bishop Bambera announces dispensation for Saint Patrick’s Day
Click To Read More

Post Archives

Unable to load Tweets

Follow

Recent Posts

Capitol Highlights for the Week Ending Friday, 3-10-23
Mar 10, 2023
Capitol Highlights for Tuesday, 2-28-23
Mar 02, 2023
Talking With PA Rep. Kate Klunk
Mar 02, 2023

All Issues

  • Catholic Education
  • Faith and Politics
  • Health Care
  • Life and Dignity
  • Marriage and Family
  • Religious Liberty
  • Social Justice

banner

Sign up to join the Catholic Advocacy Network today!

CClogo© 2021 Pennsylvania Catholic Conference. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
Bookmark and Share Site by Halibut Blue® | Login