WASHINGTON – Today the Department of Justice and Department of Education issued guidance to school districts across the country on protecting the rights of transgender students. This historic move comes just days after the Administration filed a lawsuit against North Carolina’s discriminatory House Bill 2 and a powerful statement of support for the transgender community from Attorney General Loretta Lynch. In response to these developments, Rabbi Jack Moline, president of Interfaith Alliance, released this statement:
“The Administration’s actions to protect the rights of transgender students across the country embody the fundamental contours of the Constitution: every individual has the right to express their identity free from fear of bigotry or discrimination, and no one’s comfort deserves protection over another’s equality. No matter whether antipathy toward transgender Americans is motivated by ignorance or a particular – misguided, I believe – theological understanding of gender, neither has a place in our public schools.
“Our nation is once again at a crossroads. Will our moral compass guide us toward the voices of inclusion and human dignity or toward the forces of cruelty? Today’s administrative action represents a powerful step down the path toward equality.”
Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.