PHOENIX, ARIZONA – MAY 14, 2019  — Family Watch International has joined a growing group of conservatives and liberal women’s rights groups opposing federal legislation in Congress known as the Equality Act (H.R.5).

“Despite its deceptive name,” said Sharon Slater, the president of Family Watch International, “the reality is that H.R.5 will greatly undermine the rights of women and harm our children and families.”

Family Watch recently joined over 80 organizations on a joint letter to Congress expressing opposition to the legislation as follows:

“The Equality Act would require that men and women be treated as exact equals. But such a definition would enable men to freely enter into women’s bathrooms, compete against women in sports, and allow men-identifying-as-women to enter shelters and rape crisis centers. It would also further remove restrictions on what children are taught when it comes to sex education.”

Slater further warns that if passed, the Equality Act would embolden radical sexuality education advocacy organizations such as Planned Parenthood, strengthening their lawsuits in several states that seek to take away parental rights in sex education. Under the guise of “equality,” Planned Parenthood would have the force of law to pressure school districts into implementing harmful “comprehensive sexuality education” programs—programs that promote abortion, confusing gender-bending ideologies, and diverse sex acts to children—all under the banner of equality.

“Just last week, for example, the state legislature in Minnesota debated efforts by Planned Parenthood to bring comprehensive sexuality education to children from kindergarten on up. When a graphic Planned Parenthood-promoted sex ed book titled ‘It’s Perfectly Normal’ was exposed in testimony on the statehouse floor, legislators were shocked by its graphic descriptions and depictions of sex acts, its promotion of transgender identities, and its statement that pornography ‘is not bad for you.’ The book is intended for children as young as ten. If Congress adopts the Equality Act, it will weaken the hand of parents and state legislators to stand up against such efforts that harm our children,” Slater said.

Feminists such as Julia Beck, a self-described lesbian and representative of the liberal Women’s Liberation Front, have joined with conservatives to oppose the so called “Equality Act.” During recent Congressional testimony against H.R.5, Ms. Beck told Congress that the Equality Act will make dissent from transgender identity illegal. She warned that America could end up in the same situation as England where a convicted male pedophile was recently placed into a women’s prison because he claimed to be transgender. Over a period of three months he sexually assaulted two female inmates.

“H.R.5 is undoubtedly well-intended, but its impact on America would forever change the moral fabric and traditional values of our nation,” Slater said. “We call upon all good citizens to do everything within their power to stop this ACT.

The following organizations have also issued strong statements in opposition to H.R.5: