Contact:
James Rowe
Director, Believe Out Loud
jrowe@believeoutloud.com
646-723-7826

1,575 Christians Support LGBTQ People In Missouri
LGBTQ-Affirming Christians Demand Missouri Lawmakers Stop SJR 39

New York, NY—Christians from across the United States responded last week with overwhelming support for the Missouri Senate Democrats’ 39-hour filibuster against SJR 39, a harmful anti-LGBTQ religious exemption bill that passed the Senate shortly after the filibuster ended. Yesterday, 1,575 Christians sent letters urging Missouri House Speaker Todd Richardson to stop this discriminatory bill.

In a note to House Speaker Richardson, Rev. Steve Davis says: “As a minister in the United Church of Christ I’m saddened and disappointed in the action taken by the Missouri Senate, and hope the House of Representatives will not repeat such discriminatory legislation. I join with others asking that this bill be defeated.”

While proponents of religious exemption bills say these laws are about baking cakes and officiating weddings, the truth is, there is a lot more at stake for LGBTQ people and their families. Bills like SJR 39 open the door for faith-based institutions like hospitals, homeless shelters, and adoption services to refuse services and benefits to LGBTQ couples and families based on their religious beliefs—even if the institution receives government funding.

SJR 39 is just one of more than 150 anti-LGBTQ bill proposed across the country. Of these proposed bills, 79 misuse religion to justify harm against LGBTQ people, and 44 specifically target trans and gender nonconforming people. In response, Believe Out Loud is mobilizing Christians throughout the spring to send a clear message: Discrimination is not a Christian value.

About Believe Out Loud

Believe Out Loud is an online community that empowers Christians to work for justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people. Reaching an average of 3–5 million people per month, Believe Out Loud is the leading platform in Christian faith and LGBTQ advocacy. Believe Out Loud is a program of Intersections International.