WARNING: The so-called “Nondiscrimination Ordinance” was defeated last year in Charlotte, NC, after public outcry and...
Posted by Franklin Graham on Friday, February 5, 2016
The Charlotte Non-Discrimination Ordinance Coalition is condemning Charlotte City Council’s decision on Monday to reject amendments to local non-discrimination ordinances. The measures would have added sexual orientation and gender identity, among other characteristics, to already protected classes in four city non-discrimination ordinances. Their action repeats a similar rejection of inclusive non-discrimination protections made by Council in November 1992.
For the second time in our city’s history, Charlotte City Council has shown it does not have the courage or the conviction to stand for fairness and equality. More than two decades ago, Council members shamelessly rejected similar public accommodations protections. In repeating that sad legacy on Monday, Council chose to listen to the divisive, prejudiced rhetoric of out-of-town special interests who have been behind recent attacks on the rights of LGBT people across the state and across the country. They have proven they will stop at nothing to malign and discriminate against LGBT citizens and residents.
These safe and equitable protections have been adopted by 17 states and more than 200 local governments across the country with no ill effect, including in Bessemer City, Greensboro, Raleigh and Winston-Salem, and in South Carolina’s Columbia, Charleston and Myrtle Beach.
Charlotte’s decision tonight moves the city backward not forward and shows a continued lack of commitment to fair treatment of all its citizens and residents. This coalition will not stop lobbying Council for these changes and will bring them back to city leaders for future consideration. We thank our Council champions and those who voted for the measure, placing equality over discrimination.
Critics came in droves, packing seats at Miami-Dade County Hall and waiting for hours to testify against the ordinance. More than 130 signed up to speak. Pastors, parents, teens, and seniors expressed particular concern that the measure would grant sexual predators a carte blanche to prowl women’s bathrooms.
“There are cases of the deviants who will take advantage of this,” said Commissioner Esteban Bovo, who represents suburban Miami. He would only support the ordinance if it carved out an exception so it did not apply to transgender people using public bathrooms. “We have to be mindful of a segment of the population, who is probably a majority, who is very concerned with this issue,” he said. “It is a concern for the safety of their family.”
But in the end, a majority of the commission rejected a bathroom amendment and sided with supporters of the ordinance, who characterized the measure as a basic civil right.
“It’s a scare tactic when we come down to the bathrooms and locker rooms,” said Commissioner Audrey Edmonson, one of the ordinance’s primary co-sponsors. “These are scare tactics.” She also rebutted a common complaint that the ordinance was unnecessary. “When someone has been discriminated against, I don’t care if it is one person, we were elected to defend those people and provide the protection that they need.”
The ordinance adds transgender people to several protected classes under local law, which includes people of color, people of faith, and homosexuals. The ordinance says religious institutions do not need to accommodate protected classes in noncommercial religious facilities.
Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez intends to sign the ordinance, mayoral spokesperson Mike Hernández told BuzzFeed News. “He is 100% supportive. The mayor will not veto — it will become law.”
The Puerto Rican House of Representatives today approved a sweeping nondiscrimination bill that protects lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in employment, housing, governmental services, public accommodations and private entities. Last week, the Senate approved the bill in a 15-11 vote and Gov. Alejandro García Padilla has vowed to sign the bill into law.
The House today also approved a bill to add protections for sexual orientation, marital status and gender identity to the domestic violence law. It now moves to the Senate.
LGBT rights are advancing in Puerto Rico as a consequence of decades of activism and a change in government last November.
The Task Force has been at the forefront of this struggle for the past seven years. These efforts include speaking out against hate crimes and anti-LGBT violence; standing in solidarity with the Puerto Rican LGBT community; meeting with Congressman Luis Gutierrez to ask for support in this struggle against anti-LGBT violence; and the Task Force's National Religious Leadership Roundtable convening in Puerto Rico to express support.
The language of the amendment had been previously approved to add "sexual orientation," but there was some confusion over whether or not such an amendment would violate the city's charter. At that time, city attorney Herman Morris said he believed the amendment would violate the charter, claiming a referendum may be required. But after further research, Morris changed his opinion. However, city council attorney Allan Wade stuck by his original opinion that passing the amendment violates the city charter.
But Wade's opinion did not dissaude the council members who originally voted to add "sexual orientation." It also didn't prevent councilmen Harold Collins from changing his votes to "yes" this time around. Collins said he'd consulted with faith leaders and decided not to let his religious beliefs affect the way he voted on legislation.This is good stuff
Councilman Reid Hedgepeth, a conservative who voted in favor of the ordinance last time, told the audience that harassment and robo-calls from the amendment's opposition had only strengthened his resolve to vote in favor of the amendment again.
Wow, just when I thought SC was a lost cause, they turn me around. I have to say I'm shocked by this, but I'm glad for the good news.
Check it out:
Charleston City Council passed ordinances expanding the city’s existing policy prohibiting discrimination in housing to include age, sexual orientation and gender identity.
The council also passed a public accommodations ordinance prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability, age or sexual orientation. The ordinances were presented to the mayor’s office in August by members of Charleston’s Alliance For Full Acceptance (AFFA), SC Stonewall Democrats, SC Log Cabin Republicans, American Civil Liberties Union and South Carolina Equality—who had successfully introduced similar ordinances in Columbia SC.
Charleston is the second municipality in the state to pass comprehensive human rights ordinances in housing and public accommodations that include sexual orientation and gender identity.
Alright, Charleston!
