A woman testifying at an Idaho House committee hearing on Tuesday warned lawmakers that adding “sexual orientation and gender identity” to the state’s Human Rights Act would legalize bestiality and other forms of sexual deviancy.

“I have deep love and compassion for all people, as Christ has taught me and by the incredible example of my parents growing up,” Laurie Burchfield said at a House State Affairs Committee hearing on House Bill 2. “With that said, that love and compassion does not mean I condone the LGBT lifestyle.”

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She said the terms sexual orientation and gender identity were “undefined and open up a Pandora’s Box of sexual preferences.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, do you really want to legalize under this bill pedophilia, sadism, bestiality, necrophilia, exhibitionism, polygamy and many others?” Burchfield asked. “Those are all within this undefined term.”

House Bill 2 would prohibit discrimination against LGBT people by adding the words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the Idaho Human Rights Act. The law currently bans discrimination based on race, sex, color, religion and national origin.

“This is a dire concern to me and I know to thousands of women across Idaho who are not able to be here today because they are home with their families,” Burchfield said. “Our laws are designed to protect and keep safe the citizens of Idaho… Everyone should be free to go to a public restroom without fear of people with confused sexual orientation exposing themselves to our children or flagrantly and unnecessarily parading their genitalia in the locker rooms of our YMCAs and gyms.”

Nineteen other states have approved anti-discrimination laws that include both sexual orientation and gender identity protections, while three have approved laws protecting just sexual orientation.

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Hundreds of Idahoans have flocked to the Statehouse to testify in favor or against the bill. Seventy people testified before the state’s House State Affairs Committee on Monday, and 47 people testified on Tuesday. The public hearing continues on Wednesday.

“As a police officer, my heart and my experience tells me we will all enjoy a safer community if we add the words to include sexual orientation and gender identity in our state human rights act,” Boise Police Chief Mike Masterson said Tuesday in testimony supporting the bill.

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