The state of Mississippi is in the headlines this week for allowing a law to be enacted that would allow businesses to refuse services to gay couples. The law covers religious objections regarding same-sex couples' wedding services and other actions condoned discriminatory by rights activists.
According to the Washington Post, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed into law a bill that protects "sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions." This law believes that a marriage should be given only between a man and a woman and that sexual relations should only occur in such marriage. Furthermore, it highlights that the person's gender is "determined by anatomy and genetics at time of birth." It additionally states that businesses can determine if an individual could be allowed to enter bathrooms, dressing rooms and locker rooms that are not in line with their gender identity.
Bryant, being a Republican, stated that he signed the law to protect the religious and moral beliefs of individuals and organizations from the discriminatory action by state government, Yahoo wrote. Mississippi is notably the latest state drawing protests for a law seen against the LGBT community. Recently, North Carolina barred transgender people from choosing bathrooms inconsistent with their gender identity. Tennessee is also considering the similar legislation to be passed in the case for school bathrooms.
This is the latest wave of measures that are being done by social conservatives after the nation's highest courts ruled that there should be legalized same-sex marriages.
Reuters reported that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) condemned the law which is going to be applied on July. Jennifer Riley-Collins said in a statement that "This is a sad day for the state of Mississippi and for the thousands of Mississippians who can now be turned away from businesses, refused marriage licenses, or denied housing, essential services and needed care based on who they are."
Following the passage of the law, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo banned all non-essential trips to the state. Critics of the law also include Nissan North America and MGM Resorts International. However, two-thirds of Mississippi still support the law according to a poll survey.
