Joint Statement on Indiana’s Religious Exemption Law

On the eve of the NCAA Final Four Championship, Fair Wisconsin has joined Equality Michigan, Equality North Carolina, and the Kentucky Fairness Campaign to release the following joint statement on recent events in Indiana:

As teams from each of our four states prepare to face off at the Final Four in Indianapolis, Equality Michigan, Equality North Carolina, Fair Wisconsin, and the Kentucky Fairness Campaign are deeply troubled by the passage of Indiana’s so-called “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” (or RFRA). Many of our states are either facing or currently have similar RFRA legislation, and we stand with the individuals, companies, colleges and universities, faith communities, and organizations from across the political and ideological spectrum that are raising concerns about the social and economic impact of this type of legislation. While our organizations do not agree on who should win the NCAA Tournament, we share concerns about the potential impact of this law and will remain vigilant to ensure that our states’ student-athletes, supporters and indeed all citizens and visitors are treated fairly and with respect during these important events for our states.

Thankfully, the City of Indianapolis has an LGBTQ-inclusive anti-discrimination policy that we are confident will withstand any challenges this new law represents. However, we understand that not all citizens of Indiana, or citizens across our states, are as fortunate. They do not need to be made further vulnerable by enshrining discrimination into our laws. Indiana is already feeling the economic impact of this discriminatory law, and we fear they will soon feel the harmful effects of this discrimination on Indiana families and tourists. As a result, we look beyond this Final Four weekend to call upon Indiana’s leaders to repeal this discriminatory law altogether, and hope that states currently considering these measures understand that the continued furor and concerns we see in the Hoosier State does not end at the Indiana border nor with our brackets.