Twenty-three advocates championing nondiscrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people were arrested on March 2nd at the Idaho State Capitol. The demonstrators asked lawmakers to include protections for LGBT people in the Idaho Human Rights Act. Idaho is one of the 32 states without a state law prohibiting the denial of LGBT people and their families housing, a job, or public accommodations, putting many at risk of dangerous, unfair treatment.

Nicole LeFavour, a former Senator and the Idaho Legislature's first openly gay lawmaker, helped organize the protest. 

The group issued the following statement to the media:

"Plain and simply, it is time for the Idaho Legislature to use its voice to set the field level for those who live quiet lives in all our communities, those who are your own daughters and sons, those who deserve for our state to set in law that unfair businesses practices and intentional cruelty and discrimination against them is wrong."

A similar demonstration was held in January after a House Committee voted to defeat a bill that would have added the protections.

Stay Updated: