Durham City Council passes resolution against NC’s ‘anti-LGBTQ’ bills
The Durham City Council unanimously passed a resolution declaring support for the LGBTQ community and decrying a pair of bills Republicans are advancing in the state legislature.
Monday night’s vote did not come easy, though.
Council member Jillian Johnson, who wrote the resolution, and Mayor Pro Tem Mark-Anthony Middleton reworked the document’s text after a disagreement over one line when the item was first introduced at a Feb. 9 work session.
Johnson and Middleton did not disagree over the substance of the resolution, which opposes a pair of prospective laws that Johnson says target LGBTQ youth.
Their dispute was over how to frame the issue.
The resolution previously stated: “WHEREAS, members of the LGBTQ+ community currently experience the highest rate of hate-motivated violence among all marginalized communities in the US.”
But do LGBTQ people experience the most hate crimes?
Not if you count by number, Middleton pointed out.
But if you calculate a rate based on population, then yes, Johnson said.
The precise rates are tricky to calculate since accurate estimates of the country’s LGBTQ population are hard to come by. The Census first asked about sexuality in its 2021 Household Pulse Survey, estimating 8% of the country are LGBTQ. A 2022 Gallup poll put the number at 7.1%.
The newly passed resolution ditched the comparison and instead says: “WHEREAS, hate crimes targeting LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, & queer) people are on the rise; and WHEREAS, mass shootings by domestic terrorists at LGBTQ+ gathering spaces such as ClubQ and Pulse have created fear and trauma in LGBTQ+ communities across the country; and WHEREAS, harassment targeting drag shows and drag performers have increased dramatically over the last several years, with such protests being held in several locations in North Carolina.”
Middleton acknowledged the wording dispute when it was time to vote Monday, saying that’s why the council has work sessions.
“I assure you that this council speaks with one voice,” he said. “Particularly during Black History Month, we are mindful of the number of African American residents and citizens in our city who identify also as LGBTQ+.”
“Job well done, Councilwoman Johnson,” Mayor Elaine O’ Neal said after the vote, turning to her colleague with a smile. “We appreciate that.”
What’s the status of NC bills targeting LGBTQ youth?
The resolution references two pieces of pending legislation: Senate Bill 49, the so-called Parents’ Bill of Rights, and House Bill 43, a bill that would restrict gender-affirming treatment for minors,
The Parents’ Bill of Rights bans curriculum addressing gender identity, sexual activity or sexuality in kindergarten through fourth grades. It also requires teachers to tell parents if students change their pronouns, potentially outing them.
Republicans passed it along party lines on Feb. 7, leaving it in the hands of the state House. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper will likely veto the bill if it reaches his desk, which Republicans would attempt to override. They are one vote short of a supermajority.
Critics have compared the bill to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, passed last year in the Republican-controlled state.
House Bill 43, meanwhile, has not yet moved out of committee.
The legislature has been in session less than one month.
