Wyoming House Passes Anti-Gay ‘License To Discriminate’ Bill

A Wyoming pastor-cum-lawmaker has just seen his anti-gay license to discriminate bill become one step closer to law. 

Pastor Nathan Winters, who is also State Representative Nathan Winters, today saw his bill, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) pass the Wyoming House. Originally exceptionally broad, it was amended recently to ensure LGBT people are not refused services by state employees, including county clerks who issue marriage licenses. Now, should the state senate and pass it and should the Republican governor of Wyoming sign it, anyone in the private sector will be able to refuse to serve any LGBT person merely by citing their supposed deeply held religious beliefs.

Rep. Winters “denied his bill would provide the right to discriminate. He described it instead as an anti-coercion bill, not forcing someone whose religion opposes a situation to do something they disagree with,” the Casper Star Tribune reports. “HB83 would affirm the right of religious people to practice their faith and moral conscience, he said.”

Winters’ church’s website says it believes in creationism, the rapture, and adheres to an evangelical interpretation of the bible known as Dispensationalism.

GOP Rep. Tyler Lindholm added the amendment to ensure same-sex couples aren’t refused licenses by the county clerks. 

“When you go to serve the public, you serve all of the public, every taxpayer,” Lindholm says. “Every taxpayer means no one is exempt.”

At least not at government offices. But LGBT people in the Equality State – yes, that’s Wyoming’s nickname, and its motto, ironically is “equal rights” – are now on notice as being second-class citizens, subject to anyone’s deeply held religious beliefs, or bad mood, every day of the week. And twice on Sunday. 

 

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