Young is a vocal critic of Mississippi House Bill 1523 (H.B. 1523) which was passed by the legislature 69-44 in 2016. The bill allows individuals to discriminate against same sex couples who have "deeply held religious beliefs or moral convictions" against such unions. Speaking to the Meridian Star after the passage of the bill, Young said:
I, as an individual, might disagree from a personal standpoint with certain protections of human rights. I personally might not like gay rights, I personally might not like women's rights. But as a duly elected official, I have a sworn obligation to protect and to uphold every persons' rights. And as a publicly-elected official, I have to be able to separate my personal from my elected responsibilities in my capacity.[12]
Mississippi State Flag Controversy
In 2020, Mississippi remains the only state in the United States that incorporates the Confederate battle flag. Contrary to many of his colleagues in the Lesgislature, Young believes that the fate of the flag should be decided by them, and not be left for the voters to decide:
My preference would be that the Legislature not pass the buck and that the Legislature conduct the vote to determine the future of the current flag … We’re the only state in the nation that continues to bear the stars and bars and I think we need to change. My reason for that is financial. The state of Mississippi loses a ton of money each year.[13]
^Brown, Ida; Graham, Bill (April 3, 2016). "Young: Bill 1523 is discriminatory". Meridian, Mississippi: Meridian Star. pp. A1, A3. Retrieved May 8, 2020. If we re-enacted the draft and folks said they didn't want to go to war, then Mississippi would consider you unAmerican. But you can walk into a government facility, and people who work in that government facility can deny you service.
^Kelly, Erin (June 13, 2016). "Most East Mississippi lawmakers say people should decide on flag". Meridian, Mississippi: Meridian Star. pp. A4. Retrieved June 23, 2020. We're the only state in the nation that continues to bear the stars and bars and I think we need to change.
