RFRA TOOLKIT
LGBT rights are human rights.
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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What is a RFRA?
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.
http://radioalice.cbslocal.com/2015/03/30/gap-and-levi-strauss-team-up-to-oppose-indiana-rfra-laws/
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 Clauses
First Amendment Defense/Government Non-Discrimination Acts
Pastor Protection Acts
Civil Servants Protections
“Bathroom Panic Bills”
Adoption Services Protection Acts
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RFRAs in Your State
LEARN MORE
• The first step is to find out if a RFRA has been
enacted or is being proposed in your state
• 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!
• 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)!
• Step 4: Build awareness! See page 8 for tips on
building awareness through community education,
social media, and letters to the editor.
TAKE ACTION
•
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 [email protected] 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/localstatenationalgroups.aspx
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PICKING UP THE PHONE
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 statesanctioned 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 [email protected]. “Religious freedom is a right- not a license to
discriminate.” - ACLU of Georgia
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WRITING A LETTER
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
SAMPLE LETTER
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)
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-Hosta-Party-or-Event.docx 6
ORGANIZING A PETITION
If 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:
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]
Name
City, State
Email
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Signature
BUILDING AWARENESS
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. TWITTER TIPS!
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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”
http://interactives.woodtv.com/photomojo/gallery/18600/1/
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 [email protected]
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)
Helpful Resources
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!
Youth LGBT Rights and LGBT Rights in Schools:
GLSEN Student Rights
Trans Equality "Know Your Rights in Schools"
ACLU Guide for LGBT High School Students
Lambda Legal LGBT Rights in Private Schools
Get YR Rights Toolkit for LGBT Youth and Youth Serving Organizations
Trans 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 Guidelines
Trans Equality LGBT Rights at the Airport, Workplace, and Healthcare Facilities General LGBT Resources:
GLAD LGBT Resources
Southern Poverty Law Center Guidelines for Rights of LGBT
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