Ian Thompson is a senior legislative representative for the American Civil Liberties Union. He leads outreach to lawmakers on issues such as LGBTQ rights, HIV and sex education.

Rep. Chris D. Stewart is a Republican congressman from Utah. He is the lead sponsor of the Fairness for All Act, which tries to balance religious freedom protections with LGBTQ rights. Arrange an interview through Madison Shupe.

Tim Schultz is the president of the 1st Amendment Partnership, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization that works to expand religious freedom protections at the federal and state levels. Arrange an interview through Kerry Troup.

Shirley Hoogstra is president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. She has argued that expanding nondiscrimination protections for the LGBTQ community without expanding religious freedom protections would threaten the future of religious schools.

Tyler Deaton serves as senior adviser to the American Unity Fund, a politically conservative LGBTQ rights advocacy organization. He partners with Republican lawmakers to promote nondiscrimination protections.

Rep. David Cicilline is a Democratic congressman from Rhode Island. He is the lead sponsor of the Equality Act, which aims to add sexual orientation- and gender identity-based protections to federal civil rights law.

Gina Messina-Dysert is an associate professor of religion and gender studies at Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, Ohio. She is also the co-founder and co-director of the Feminism and Religion project. Arrange an interview by using her school’s contact form.

Kate Bowler is an associate professor of the history of American Christianity at Duke Divinity School, an author and a podcast host. Her books include The Preacher’s Wife: The Precarious Power of Evangelical Women Celebrities, which explores how evangelical women build successful ministry careers despite being barred from the pulpit. She has also written on […]

Atiya Aftab is an adjunct professor of Middle Eastern studies at Rutgers University. She previously served as chairwoman of the board of trustees of the Islamic Society of Central Jersey and was the first woman to hold this role in New Jersey.