In the TuckerSpawn group a discussion area for Ellen Hayes' Tuck stories, we were discussing a trial that is likely in the future of the story.
I brought up the fact that a character might get asked if he was gay if the defense lawyer was desperate enough to take a chance.
Someone replied "Oh, but that'd make what happened a hate crime!". I had to explain that damn few areas have "sexual orientation" protected under hate crime laws.
I've also had to point out recently in other places that discrimination on the basis of sex isn't illegal either, because the ERA did *not* pass.
I'm glad that people think that this sort of thing should be against the law. But *appalled* that they think it already is.
I brought up the fact that a character might get asked if he was gay if the defense lawyer was desperate enough to take a chance.
Someone replied "Oh, but that'd make what happened a hate crime!". I had to explain that damn few areas have "sexual orientation" protected under hate crime laws.
I've also had to point out recently in other places that discrimination on the basis of sex isn't illegal either, because the ERA did *not* pass.
I'm glad that people think that this sort of thing should be against the law. But *appalled* that they think it already is.