LGBT rights are human rights.

RFRA TOOLKIT

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Table of Contents • What is a RFRA?…………………………………………………………………………..3

• RFRA Fast Facts• RFRA Legislation in Your State………………………………….……………………….4

• How to find out if RFRA legislation is present in your state• What to do if RFRA legislation is present in your state

• Calling Your Representatives…………………………………………………………….5• Sample script

• Writing Your Representatives…………………………………………………………….6• Sample letter

• Organizing A Petition………………………………………………………………………7• Sample petition

• Building Awareness………………………………………………………………………..8• Hosting an event • Educating your community • Getting the word out on social media • Letter to the editor

• Helpful Resources for LGBT Persons and Supporters………………………………9

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RFRAs, or Religious Freedom Restoration Acts, are being introduced state by state—they are under the “guise” of protecting the rights and freedoms of religious minorities, but in reality RFRAs are being used to discriminate against the LGBT community.

What is a RFRA?

RFRA Fast Facts

21 states have passed RFRA legislation, some as recently as 2015.More than 200 state bills have been proposed since the Obergefell v. Hodges 2015 Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.The RFRAs currently being proposed at state levels are a direct assault on LGBT rights, and in some cases are also explicitly written to curtain sexual and reproductive rights.RFRAs being proposed at the state level often allow a business owner, health care provider, child placement service, educational institution, religious organization, religious official, an official capable of solemnizing a marriage, or, in some cases, any service provider to refuse services based on “sincere moral convictions”. Since 2015, 30 states have proposed legislation that specifically infringes on the rights of trans people, and 23 states have proposed legislation that directly prohibits a trans individual from using a public bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity.These discriminatory bills may not always include RFRA in their title, they can also be referred to as:

Conscience and Refusal ClausesFirst Amendment Defense/Government Non-Discrimination ActsPastor Protection ActsCivil Servants Protections “Bathroom Panic Bills”Adoption Services Protection Acts

http://radioalice.cbslocal.com/2015/03/30/gap-and-levi-strauss-team-up-to-oppose-indiana-rfra-laws/

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RFRAs in Your StateLEARN MORE

• The first step is to find out if a RFRA has been enacted or is being proposed in your state

• This can be done by utilizing a legislative tracker that allows you to filter your searches by legislation type and state, such as https://rewire.news/legislative-tracker/law-topic/religious-freedom/

• Once you have discovered whether RFRA legislation is present in your state, you will be ready to take action (see below)!

• What to do if a RFRA has been introduced or enacted in your state:

• Step 1: Contact the LGBT co-group to let them know you are engaged. Contact the Coordination Group at lgbt@aiusa.org or find them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AIUSALGBT) or Twitter (https://twitter.com/AIUSALGBT)

• Step 2: Reach out to any local/state organizations that are working to fight against LGBT discrimination and/or against RFRAs. Some good places to start would be with organizations such as your state’s ACLU chapter, or searching online directories like http://www.lgbtcenters.org/localstatenational-groups.aspx

TAKE ACTION

• Step 3: Contact your elected representatives! If you aren’t sure who your elected representatives are, you can find them at https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/ OR call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 where you can connect with your senators or representative. Once you have identified your elected representatives that you want to contact, you can reach out to them by calling, writing a letter, or organizing a petition, all of which will be discussed at length in this toolkit!

• Step 4: Build awareness! See page 8 for tips on building awareness through community education, social media, and letters to the editor.

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CALLING YOUR REPRESENTATIVES: To assist with your calls, here is a sample script of what a phone call or voicemail message regarding RFRA legislation may look like:

• Introduce yourself and make the ask “Hello, my name is _______ (name) and I live in _______ (city, state). I am your constituent and I’m troubled by the _______ (insert bill/law name) legislation being proposed/enacted in my state and I am calling to urge _______ (official’s name) to vote against this bill and issue a statement rejecting such discriminatory legislation and supporting human rights. My community (supports the LGBT community/supports LGBT rights/rejects state-sanctioned discrimination). I think _______ (official’s name) has the responsibility to speak out against discrimination and bigotry.”

• Promise to follow up “If it would be helpful, I can send you a model statement of solidarity or examples of statements from local organizations and leaders in my community. I’ll follow up in a week or two about the possibility of _______ (official’s name) issuing such a statement. Thank you for your time and I look forward to discussing this further.”

In addition to calls, in-person visits are incredibly powerful. Get in touch with your local Legislative Coordinator to schedule a meeting with your elected representatives by contacting grassroots@aiusa.org.

PICKING UP THE PHONE

“Religious freedom is a right- not a license to discriminate.” - ACLU of Georgia

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GUIDELINES FOR WRITING YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES:When writing letters to your elected officials, it is important to: • Be factual, but concise • Be polite, respectful, and constructive • Be explicit in expressing your concern over the legislation in your state • Write clearly • Be efficient

Dear _______ (title and official’s name),

I am writing to urge you to reject/vote against the _______ (name of bill/law) legislation that is being proposed/enacted in our state. This legislation unfairly targets and discriminates against LGBT people. My community supports LGBT rights, and rejects this form of state-sanctioned discrimination under the guise of religious freedom/freedom of conscience. As your constituent, I believe that it is your responsibility to support human rights in our state and oppose legislation that undermines freedom and equality for all.

I hope, in the name of all people concerned with LGBT rights, that I will hear you oppose _______ (name of bill/law) and speak out against this kind of legislation any time it is proposed or introduced.

Respectfully,

(Your name)

WRITING A LETTER

SAMPLE LETTER

TAKE ACTION Organize a writing event/campaign! For some tips on how to do that, check out Write for Rights suggestions at this link http://write.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/How-to-Host-a-Party-or-Event.docx

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ORGANIZING A PETITIONIf a RFRA or any related legislation is introduced in your state, you may want to reach out to your elected representatives by organizing a petition. Petitions are an effective way to let your representatives know that their constituents support the LGBT community and reject RFRA legislation. Here’s some sample language for creating your own petition regarding RFRAs or related legislation in your state:

Name City, State Email Signature

Dear [insert legislators title and name]:

We are writing to urge you to oppose the _______ (name of bill/law) legislation being proposed/enacted in our state.

This legislation is a direct attack on the LGBT community, and is essentially a license to discriminate under the pretense of religious freedom/freedom of conscience. An assault on LGBT rights is an assault on human rights, and it is your responsibility to promote and protect human rights in our state.

As your constituents, we strongly believe that this legislation is discriminatory and that it does not reflect the commitment that our community has to human rights. We call upon you to reject this legislation because doing so will help ensure that LGBT rights are respected and protected.

Sincerely,

[See signatures on following pages]

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There are many different ways in which you can build awareness of RFRA legislation in your community. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Host an event! Check out page 34 of Amnesty’s Activist Toolkit on for a helpful how-to guide on event planning http://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/activist_toolkit.pdf. Don’t forget to take pictures, and inform the LGBT co-group of your event!

2. Educate your community on LGBT rights and the problem with RFRAs. Check out the Rewire tracker on page 4 in this toolkit and/or LGBT organizations to see what’s happening in your state and use the information you’ve gathered to draft a fact sheet or hand out. Go to page 3 in this toolkit to find talking points on RFRAs and get the conversation started!

3. Get the word out online by utilizing your social media accounts. Take pictures at all of your events so you can post them later on your Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (don’t forget to @AIUSALGBT and @amnestyusa)! Use Twitter to your advantage by using RFRA strategic hashtags, and tweeting at prime times.

4. Write a letter to the editor and let your community know why you oppose the RFRA legislation introduced in your state. Letters pages in local publications are widely read in your community and can be used very effectively to promote your work.

BUILDING AWARENESS

Sample tweets to get you started!• This tweet was first used by the ACLU of

Georgia “Religious freedom is a right- not a license to discriminate @insert MOC’s name”

• “.@[insert MOC name] stand with the LGBT community and reject (insert bill/law name/RFRA). #Ally”

• “.@[insert MOC name] LGBT rights are human rights #RejectRFRA”

Remember, the more people that use hashtag, the more visibility your tweet will get! Here are some examples of primary hashtags that your group can utilize: • #RFRA• #LGBT• #transrights• #equality• #Ally• #(your state initials)stopRFRA• #Reject(name of bill/law)

TWITTER TIPS!

Letters to the Editor Tips:When writing letters to the editor, it is important to:• Keep your letters short, around 250 words

at most. Long letters will be cut by editors • Make sure to include your contact details• AIUSA’s Media Relations Unit creates

letters-to-the-editors templates for key events, reports and campaigns. If you are interested in receiving periodic templates, contact media@aiusa.org

http://interactives.woodtv.com/photomojo/gallery/18600/1/

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If you or someone you know is struggling with the impact of a RFRA, here are some tools and resources that can help you stay healthy and safe, as well as inform and remind you of your rights!

Helpful Resources

Youth LGBT Rights and LGBT Rights in Schools: GLSEN Student RightsTrans Equality "Know Your Rights in Schools"ACLU Guide for LGBT High School StudentsLambda Legal LGBT Rights in Private SchoolsGet YR Rights Toolkit for LGBT Youth and Youth Serving OrganizationsTrans Equality FAQ for Transgender Students in Response to Title IX Rollback

Finding Safe Healthcare: MyTransHealth

Finding a Safe, Gender Neutral Bathroom: Refuge Restrooms

Legal Guidelines: Trans Equality State Guidelines for Identification Documentation ACLU Transgender People and Law GuidelinesTrans Equality LGBT Rights at the Airport, Workplace, and Healthcare Facilities

General LGBT Resources: GLAD LGBT ResourcesSouthern Poverty Law Center Guidelines for Rights of LGBT

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