Raleigh and Wake County now ready to act on local LGBTQ protections, leaders say
Wake County and Raleigh leaders will consider expanding protections to LGBTQ people and others in a proposed non-discrimination ordinance next week.
The two governing boards will each take up the issue at their respective meetings Monday and Tuesday.
“This is making it clear that discrimination in public accommodations and employment has no place in our county,” said Wake County Commissioners Chair Matt Calabria.
The proposed ordinance will protect people regardless of their sexual orientation and gender expression in places open to the public, like stores, restaurants and hotels, or during hiring. It won’t apply to religious organizations, he said.
If the county approves it, the ordinance would apply only to unincorporated parts of Wake County unless municipalities adopt it for their jurisdictions.
“What this ordinance does is it makes it clear that Wake County believes discrimination is wrong in our public and private sector, including in public accommodations,” Calabria said.
The Wake County Board of Commissioners will discuss the ordinance Monday with plans to vote on it on Oct. 18, if commissioners agree, Calabria said.
Adding Wake County and Raleigh to the list of communities that have expanded protections will be huge for North Carolina residents, said Kendra Johnson, executive director of Equality NC.
She added she hopes other cities and counties use this model to expand protections to marginalized communities.
Raleigh’s ordinance
Municipalities and counties in North Carolina began expanding their non-discrimination ordinances early this year after a three-year state ban expired in a law that replaced HB2, the law that became known as the bathroom bill.
This summer, Apex became the first town in Wake County to expand its non-discrimination ordinance to include the LGBTQ community.
The Raleigh City Council will discuss joining Wake County’s ordinance Tuesday and potentially vote on it Oct. 19, if the council members agree.
“It’s the same set of rules, the same enforcement,” said City Council member Jonathan Melton, one of two LGBTQ council members. “I hope that other municipalities in Wake County will also follow. We’re one of the fastest-growing counties in the country. And the largest county in North Carolina, and I think it’s important that we provide the same protections.”
The city needed to wait to see if lawsuits arose from local governments expanding non-discrimination ordinances, Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin told The News & Observer in a previous interview.
Melton didn’t share that concern but said he’s glad the city is ready to act now.
“Being able to know that I’m protected in my city with my fiance, soon to be husband, knowing that my friends and family who choose to visit or live here are also protected, that’s really important,” Melton said. “And I also just think it’s the message that we send as a city that all are welcome and we mean it.
“You can drive into downtown and there are a lot of murals that say, you know, ‘Y’all means All. All are welcome here.’ And our policies have to reflect that as well,” he added. “And this would be a huge leap forward.”
The draft 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.
This story was originally published October 7, 2021 at 5:12 PM.
