Yesterday several members of Congress announced the Equality Act which, if passed, would add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to protections that already exist based on race, religion, sex, and more. And though it comes on the heels of several similar decisions, this act is no redundancy.

Though it may initially seem like the EEOC just issued a fairly substantive opinion on the issue last week, the Equality Act could be a big deal. Its protections extends far beyond the workplace, and even beyond just the LGBTQ community. But, perhaps most importantly, it would give a real framework against transgender discrimination.

Introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon in the Senate and Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline in the House, the act would bar the discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity by amending a band of existing issues, and would become the most comprehensive law to date protecting LGBTQ individuals. And for trans individuals, who have a history of being left behind by the movement, this would be a major victory.

Photo Credit: torbakhopper cc
Photo Credit: torbakhopper cc

Though increased awareness has put transgender rights center stage as of late, there’s still no grand protection for the rights of transgender individuals. Protections for transgender workers only exist in 19 states and the District of Columbia. On average, they face a much greater degree of stigma, including twice the unemployment rate of the general population, near ubiquitous experience of workplace harassment, higher rate of arbitrary housing discrimination, a one-in-five rate of homelessness.

As Terri Gillespie writes for HR Legalist, courts have recently moved to a more liberal definition of “sex discrimination,” giving some transgender rights and protections a break in the workplace:

Despite the lack of specific legal protections for many workers based on gender identity or expression, several federal courts and the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) have interpreted the prohibition against sex discrimination found in Title VII, to include discrimination against transgender workers or based on gender identity or expression.  Therefore, all employers who are covered under Title VII, or a similar state anti-discrimination law, should take proactive steps to avoid any form of potential workplace discrimination or harassment based on gender identity or expression.

But the Equality Act could ensure these protections. From employment law to public accommodations to education to credit, LGBTQ individuals would, under the Equality Act, have increased and more comprehensive protections available, regardless of where they live.

Of course, it’s not exactly right around the corner. Of the 40 Senate co-sponsors and the 157 House co-sponsors, there are no Republicans. In its current form, the legislation is far less palatable to conservatives than the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which has been long-introduced and never passed.

But the Act itself is a major sign of momentum for the community: At the beginning of this year the transgender community was celebrating the first mention in a State of the Union address ever. Now there’s a proposed legislation that would address the lines of religious freedom and restroom use.