The Equality Act Is Personal for One Day at a Time's Justina Machado

"I'm Justina Machado and I'm a proud American for the Equality Act," the actress declares in a new video from the Human Rights Campaign.

Machado signed onto HRC's campaign urging passage of the Equality Act, which would add LGBTQ protections to existing federal law. If passed, the legislation would ban discrimination against queer Americans in housing, employment, and public accomodations, like restrooms. Introduced the Democratic-controlled House, the bill has an uncertain fate in the GOP-controlled Senate; no one knows whether President Trump would sign such legislation.

As Machado points out, all Americans know someone who's LGBTQ. For the actress -- who starred in iconic shows like One Day at a Time and Six Feet Under -- her gay brother is reason enough to get involved in the passage of the Equality Act.

"If my brother were to drive from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., his rights would change at least a dozen times," Machado says. Watch below.