And Undeniably So

People who identify as LGBTQIA+ didn’t choose to be that way. The internet is full of stories from queer and transgendered individuals where they detail their personal struggles with identity. You can’t deny who you are, because that is not a choice.

Unlike your sexual orientation or gender identity, religion is a choice. You may have been born into a faith, but you choose to stay. If you are an independent adult, there is nothing requiring you to attend church on Sunday, or go to the synagogue on Saturday, or to fast during Ramadan. You don’t have to practice the religious beliefs of your parents. You choose to.

You also choose how you treat those around you. If you deny someone medical service – or a cake! – because of your ‘religious beliefs’, you are choosing to be a horrible human being.

The Trump administration revoking rules that prohibited hospitals, insurance companies, and medical practitioners from discriminating against individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+ isn’t protecting religious freedom. And calling the decision cruel is inadequate.

It’s evil.