‘Add the Words’ demonstrators gather at Idaho Statehouse

Roughly 200 demonstrators have gathered inside the Statehouse to get Idaho lawmakers to pass legislation to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from employment and housing discrimination.

The demonstrators on Wednesday carried signs describing past instances of discrimination they or someone else has experienced.

They want lawmakers to add the words “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” to the Idaho Human Rights Act. The law bans discrimination based on race, sex, color, religion and national origin in housing, employment and public accommodations.

But that effort has been blocked for more than a decade because the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature is concerned the change could infringe on religious freedoms.

Attempts to find a compromise proposal between lawmakers and activists have failed to gain traction.