Legislation that protects LGBTQ+ people in America is long overdue. The lack of federally mandated protections leave those who seek justice for discrimination very few options, especially since many states throughout the country do not explicitly have those protections in their laws. Already passed in the United States House of Representatives, the Equality Act will ensure those vital federal protections for the LGBTQ+ community by amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to add gender identity and sexual orientation to the list of protected classes. The bill will also codify equal protections for LGBTQ+ people within healthcare, employment, education, housing, and federally funded programs.