FORIMMEDIATERELEASE:Friday,March27,2015

MediaContact:HKappKlote,h@getequal.org,(872)2167027

MEDIAADVISORY:TravelWarningIssuedforTravelerstoIndiana

GetEQUALIssuesTravelWarningforThosePlanningTraveltotheStateofIndiana

Today,GetEQUALanationalgrassrootssocialjusticeorganizationworkingtowardthefull
equalityoflesbian,gay,bisexual,transgender,andqueer(LGBTQ)individualsissueda"travel
warning"toallthoseplanningtraveltothestateofIndiana.

Thistravelwarning(textbelow)comesonedayaftertheGovernorofIndianasignedtheReligious
FreedomRestorationActintolaw,whichpermitsdiscriminationonthebasisofanindividuals
stronglyheldreligiousbeliefs.ThisbillisintendedtotargetLGBTQresidentsofthestate,but
couldpotentiallyalsoleadtounsafesituationsforawiderangeofindividuals,includingwomen,
religiousminorities,peopleofcolor,oranyoneelsewhoanindividualmightwanttotargetfor
discrimination.

GiventhattheFinalFourgamesoftheNCAAMensBasketballTournamentarebeingheldin
Indianapolisthisyear(April46),itisvitallyimportantthatalltravelerstothestateunderstandthe
immediateconsequencesofthisnewlaw.ThepresidentoftheNCAArecentlycommentedthatthe
organizationisrushingtoensurethatalltravelerstoIndianapolistakeprecautions,andisexamining
theimplicationsofthislawfortheorganizationsemployees,astheNCAAisheadquarteredin
Indianapolis.(Linktocommentshere:
http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/25/politics/mikepencereligiousfreedombillgayrights/.)

Indianaisthefirststatethisyeartopasssuchadangerousandrestrictivebill,thoughmanyother
stateshavepassedsuchbillsinpastyears.Similarbillsarealsocurrentlypendinginmanyother
statelegislatures.Georgiaisconsideringasimilarbill,whichiscurrentlytabledincommitteebut
whichcouldbebroughtbackupatanymoment,andArkansasisalsoontheprecipiceofpassing
suchabill.

"IndianahasnowgonedowninhistoryasnotonlyafootholdoftheKuKluxKlan,butasthehome
ofantiLGBTQandantiwomanlegalattacks,"saidHeatherCronk,codirectorofGetEQUAL.Ive
seenmanyonceproudHoosierstakingtosocialmediatoannouncetheirplanstomoveoutofstate
butmyconcernisforthosewhodonthavethemeanstomove,orwhoarecaringforfamily
membersinthestate.GovernorPencenotonlymadeapoliticalmistakeforhisowncareerin
sealinghisreputationasabigot,buthehasalsoputeveryresidentofthestateindangerwiththis
radicalnewlaw.

IwasbornandraisedinIndiana,andwasfortunatetobeabletomoveoutofstateafter
experiencingoppressivediscriminationinmyyouthbutevenwhenIwastryingtoleavethestate,
IwouldnthavedreamedthatIndianawouldmakethisradicalofamovetoputitsresidentsin
danger,saidTanyaDomi,chairofGetEQUALsboard.Myheartisheavyformyfriendswhoare
nowweighingwhethertheywillbeabletoremaininIndianawiththeirfamilies,orwhethertheymust
fleesimplytoensurethattheycangotothestore,gotothedoctor,orraisetheirkidswithoutfear.

Inresponsetothesigningofthisbillintolaw,GetEQUALhasissuedthefollowingtravelwarningfor
alltravelerstoIndiana.Thisalertextendstofamilies,tourists,FinalFourattendees,
studentathletes,coaches,reportersandbroadcasters,conventiongoers,businesstravelers,andall
otherswhomightconsidertraveltothestate.

TRAVELWARNINGSTATEOFINDIANA

EFFECTIVEIMMEDIATELY

GetEQUALisalertingthosetravelingtotheStateofIndianaofanewlawthatlegalizes
discriminationorrefusalofservicetoanyone,basedonanindividualsreligiousbelief.TheStateof
Indianahasenactedlegislationthatwouldallowbusinessesandpublicservantstolegally
discriminateagainstanyoneonthebasisofreligiousbelief,andtherearenopublic
accommodationsprotectionsatthestatelevelonthebasisofsexualorientationorgenderidentity.
AnyoneconsideringtraveltotheStateofIndianamustconsiderthattheymayberefusedservicein
publicspaces,askedtoleavebusinesses,orevenbedeniedmedicalcareiftheiridentitycouldbe
seenasobjectionableunderanyreligioustenets.

NopartofIndianashouldbeconsideredsafefortravelers,includingLGBTQpeople,women,
children,religiousminorities,orpeopleofcolor.Thepotentialforhostilityextendsacrossthestate.
DonotassumethatyournonresidentstatuswillprotectyoufromIndianasstrictreligiousdoctrine,
enforcedbyminorityrule.

GetEQUALadvisesagainstnonessentialtravelforeveryone,sincethisnewlawcouldimpactnot
onlyLGBTQindividuals,butalsounmarriedwomen,religiousminorities,anyonewithamedical
condition,interracialcouples,peopleofcolor,andmore.Severalcompaniesbasedinthestatehave
alreadyendednonessentialtraveltothestateforemployees.Thosewhoarerequiredtotravelto
Indianaareencouragedtotakethefollowingprecautions:

Avoidtravelingaloneinthestate
Onlybooktravelathotelswhichhavepoliciesexplicitlyprohibitingdiscrimination
Carryanylegalormedicaldocumentswithyouthatmightbeneededtoensurepropercare
Beawareofyoursurroundingsandadoptotherappropriatesafetymeasurestoprotectyourself
whiletraveling

GetEQUALwillcontinuetomonitorthissituationandupdatetravelersasneeded,bothonthe
situationinIndianaandthestateoftravelinotherstatesconsideringthepassageofsimilar
measures.

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GetEQUALisanationalgrassrootssocialjusticeorganizationwhosemissionistoempowerthe
lesbian,gay,bisexual,transgender,andqueer(LGBTQ)communityandalliestotakeboldactionto
demandfulllegalandsocialequality,andtoholdaccountablethosewhostandintheway.Formore
information,gotowww.getequal.org.YoucanalsofollowGetEQUALonFacebookat
www.facebook.com/getequaloronTwitterat@GetEQUAL.