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NEWS & LETTERS, June - July 2009
LGBT fight against discrimination
Memphis--On June 1, the struggle of Memphis and Shelby County LGBT activists and their allies to protect LGBT citizens from discrimination came to a head. The Shelby County Commission took up an ordinance which banned discrimination against people on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity in employment and access to services for employees of Shelby County, their contractors, and private business owners in the unincorporated areas of Shelby County.
This measure was incomplete, as most private businesses in Shelby County would have remained free to discriminate against LGBT people. However, even this incomplete measure was met with extreme opposition by some local Christian groups. Fortunately, more than four times as many supporters of the ordinance attended the June 1 meeting of the County Commission. But the County Commission refused to hear the majority's call for justice and fairness in Shelby County.
Rather than passing the ordinance, which would have had the force of law in Shelby County, the Commission passed an extremely watered down resolution, which did not specifically mention sexual orientation or gender identity as protected categories, but suggests that employment decisions should not be made on the basis of "non-merit factors." The resolution cannot be legally enforced and is only applicable to Shelby County Government.
In spite of the pathetic state of the final resolution, four of the 13 County Commissioners voted against it, citing religious conflicts. Local LGBT activists view the passage of the resolution as a partial and initial victory, but it is clear to all parties that the road to protecting Shelby County's LGBT citizens from discrimination is long and progress on it will be hard-fought. Some LGBT activists are calling for the resignation of Commissioners who cited religious opposition to the resolution and ordinance, since Shelby County is not supposed to be a theocracy.
--Amy
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