‘Long overdue.’ Raleigh to vote on joining Wake County’s non-discrimination rule
The Raleigh City Council will vote next week on expanding the city’s ordinances to ban discrimination based on a person’s sexual orientation and gender identity.
Tuesday, the City Council discussed joining Wake County’s non-discrimination ordinance with all members agreeing to vote on a resolution Oct. 19. The resolution is not meant to create a new ordinance for the city, but to adopt the county’s ordinance presented Oct. 11.
“This is the right thing to do,” said Jonathan Melton, an at-large city council member who is gay. “It is long overdue.”
The ordinance would expand the city’s existing non-discrimination rules established in 1969, said Raleigh city attorney Robin Tatum.
But under the county’s ordinance, these rules would now apply to private employers and public accommodations, like restaurants and retail stores.
Melton said he worked with Wake County commissioner Matt Calabria and non-profit Equality NC in drafting the ordinance.
“We will send a resounding message that all are welcome here in Raleigh,” Melton said.
Municipalities and counties across North Carolina began expanding their non-discrimination ordinances this year after a three-year state ban on such policies expired in December, The News & Observer reported. That law had replaced House Bill 2, known as the “bathroom bill,” which among other things, required people to use the bathroom that corresponded with their assigned gender.
Apex was the first town in Wake County to expand its non-discrimination ordinance over the summer to include people identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and gender non-confirming.
If approved, Wake County and Raleigh would be the 14th and 15th local governments to act on LGBTQ-inclusive protections, according to the Campaign for Southern Equality.
Raleigh City Council member Corey Branch emphasized the ordinance’s significance for people of color, as well, especially those who are Black.
“This also includes race,” said Branch, one of two Black council members. “Nationality is included. And even the ordinance that we passed earlier this year, thanks to the efforts of councilwoman (Stormie) Forte, about hairstyles.”
The draft of Wake County’s non-discrimination ordinance protects people from discrimination based on race, natural hair or hairstyles, ethnicity, creed, color, sex, pregnancy, marital or familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin or ancestry, pregnancy, national guard or veteran status, religious belief or no-belief, age or disability.
Bathrooms and religious institutions are not included in the ordinance, assistant county attorney Allison Cooper said Monday.
The Wake County Board of Commissioners will vote on it Oct. 18.
This story was originally published October 12, 2021 at 8:07 PM.
