As House considers Equality Act, more Americans than ever identify as LGBT, poll finds

As the U.S. House of Representatives prepares to vote on the Equality Act, a LGBT civil rights bill, a new poll finds more Americans than ever now identify as LGBT.

The House is set to vote Wednesday on the legislation, which would amend the Civil Rights Act to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill was reintroduced in the House last week by Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat, and was also spearheaded by Sen. Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat.

The Equality Act passed in the House in 2019 but never received a vote in the the Senate, which was controlled by the Republican majority at the time. The bill would explicitly enshrine nondiscrimination protections for LGBT Americans and expand protections in the Civil Rights Act to federally funded programs and public accommodations, including stadiums and retail stores.