BATON ROUGE, La. (WGNO) — A New Orleans lawmaker is hoping to make a change that many say is long overdue.  State Rep. Austin Badon is introducing legislation that protects the LGBT community from housing and employment discrimination.

Nearly 50 pages of legislation are aimed at “equality” in Louisiana.

“Discrimination in any form is patriotically wrong. We should fight the culture of discrimination at every level,” says Rep. Badon.

Rep. Austin Badon is introducing HB 612 to stop discrimination in Louisiana.  It’s an effort the Forum for Equality says they’ve been fighting for since 1989.

“The fact that in 2015 a person can be fired from their job just because of who they are or who they love is unacceptable,” says Sarah Jane Brady with Forum for Equality.

Tristan Broussard, a Transgender man from Lake Charles, says he was fired by his employer after he refused to comply when his company demanded he act like his birth gender, a woman.

“Anger, embarrassment. Whenever you’re singled out like that, you don’t feel human anymore. You’re just an alien nobody can understand,” says Broussard.

Attorney Ryan Delaney, who represents Tristan, says its hard to fight for clients when the law doesn’t protect them.

“We have couples that come to us and individuals that come to us with issues where they feel like they’ve been discriminated against based on their sexual orientation or gender identity and our hands are tied behind our backs and there’s really nothing we can do for them,” says Delaney.

Rep. Badon’s bill comes on the heels of District 8 Representative Mike Johnson’s proposed amendments to Louisiana’s existing Religious Freedom Bill.  The bill is generating controversy because it’s being called discriminatory against the LGBT community.

“It’s enhancing the culture of segregation and discrimination in Louisiana,” says Rep. Badon.

A culture people like Tristan, unfortunately, have had to experience.

“It’s about making a change. This should not happen to anybody else,” says Broussard.

“Let’s put the welcome mat at Louisiana’s doors so everyone feels welcome here to be be able to sustain and provide for their families and live the American dream,” says Badon.

A Civil Law Committee will hold a hearing on the bill next week.