For years, LGBTQ advocates have argued that religious exemptions – either passed through legislation or created in court decisions – would effectively legalize discrimination against LGBTQ people. Christian conservatives have refused to publicly admit it, claiming that such exemptions would “protect” Christians’ religious freedom without leading to discrimination.
But now Virginia State Sen. Mark Peake ® was caught saying the quiet parts out loud while discussing his proposed S.B. 177, a bill that would create a religious exemption to the state’s ban on discrimination in housing, allowing a “religious corporation, association, or society, or any nonprofit institution or organization” to refuse to provide housing to people who they believe don’t follow their “religious principles.”
“You are correct, what you said is correct,” Peake said in a committee hearing. “They would be allowed to discriminate against people that they do not feel follow their religious beliefs.”
“This is the whole point of it, is for their religious beliefs, and it gives them the ability to discriminate against people that conflict with their religious beliefs.”
“I think that is the substance of this bill,” he said, laughing.
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