Fighting for Equality: Religious Freedom and LGBTQ Advocacy with Alison Gill

Glass City Humanist

Join us for a riveting discussion with Allison Gill, Vice President of Legal and Policy for American Atheists. Listen in as we discuss the mission of American Atheists and their ongoing fight for religious equality. We also touch on the case of an incarcerated person in West Virginia being forced to undergo religious substance abuse treatment in order to qualify for parole, as well as a Fifth Circuit case in Mississippi on the state's license plate motto reading “In God We Trust”.

We also discuss American Atheists' state scorecards, which provide benchmarks across states and show how many states have or don't have certain protections in place. We explore how these scorecards differ from a voter's guide and how they are used for advocacy purposes. Additionally, we touch on the tactic of filing a First Amendment lawsuit against abortion bans and why it is not always ideal.

Finally we examine the idea of Third Party Harm and how granting religious exemptions can be destructive and favor some religions over others. We highlight the importance of seeking help from organizations such as the National Suicide Helpline and the Trevor Project in light of the coordinated attack on the trans community happening in Ohio.

Show Notes

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01:00 Episode Note

02:45 American Atheists mission to defend religious freedom

11:46 State Score Cards

17:43 Using the 1st amendment to protect abortion rights

20:30 Third party harm and religious freedom

26:12 Religious Extremism Targeting the LGBTQ Community

36:30 How to contact American Atheists if you believe your rights were violated