Why we must help re-elect Rep. Sherry Jones and defeat Councilman Robert Duvall

The race for TN House District 59 couldn't present two starker options--re-electing Rep. Sherry Jones or electing Metro Councilman Robert Duvall.

It simply could not.

Rep. Jones has been a champion of women, children, working people, and equality in the Legislature and that's why TEP PAC has again endorsed her.

Councilman Robert Duvall, on the other hand, did everything in his power to stop the 2011 and 2009 Metro non-discrimination ordinances. 

He has so little respect for efforts to advance equality that he actually made the unusual move of pulling the 2011 contractor non-discrimination ordinance from consideration on first reading in an attempt to defeat it.  Typically all bills pass first reading together in Metro Council and debate occurs on second reading.  But he couldn't even extend basic courtesy to his colleagues on Council and the citizens of Nashville who support equality.

The City Paper's Joey Garrison explains:

Typically, all council legislation passes on the first of three votes unanimously as a way to direct bills into the council’s committee system. But, as expected, council conservatives who say government should not interfere with private business singled out the controversial bill to call for a separate vote on the ordinance. Councilman Robert Duvall of Antioch made the motion.

“We shouldn’t be imposing on private business,” Duvall said. “We shouldn’t be imposing the guidelines that a private business is supposed to operate out of. They all have their own work rules. They all have to follow federal and state laws. We, at the Metro level, shouldn’t be setting another layer of regulation.

“It’s just crazy,” he said. “This country is choking to death on regulation.”

Councilman Duvall was even more pointed in 2009 when he spoke of the 2009 non-discrimination ordinance by telling WKRN, "...but these people are going to have additional rights."  

Ahem!  "These people"--as in you people, as in a group of citizens that he cares nothing about.

Councilman Robert Duvall shows little respect for citizens and cannot even extend basic courtesy to his colleagues and the community.  And I can't imagine that he'll ever vote for a pro-equality piece of legislation.  On the contrary, given opportunities in the past, he has consistently opposed them.

DO WE NEED MORE OF THAT IN THE LEGISLATURE? 

Election Day is November 6.

Allow me to dispel the rumors

I am hearing rumors that I want to dispel once and for all.

On behalf of TEP Shelby County Committee and all of TEP, I want to make crystal clear that we consider the City of Memphis Non-Discrimination Ordinance to be incomplete and unacceptable without the inclusion of gender identity and expression.

We are taking steps to build on the success we have made thusfar to make sure that the ordinance is amended to include gender identity and expression. In my remarks before the Memphis City Council, I stated that they should not abandon my transgender brothers and sisters:

I meant what I said, and we will fight to make this flawed ordinance whole.

 - Jonathan Cole

You CAN be Republican and pro-equality in Memphis

Reid Hedgepeth

Yesterday's hearing on amending the Memphis Employment Non-Discrimination Ordinance brought lots of surprises. While TEP was excited that a pro-equality amendment passed, TEP was disturbed by the unacceptable omission of gender identity from the proposed amendment and that the sudden announcement that the addition of sexual orientation as a non-merit factor amendment somehow conflicts with the City of Memphis charter. 

But not all the surprises were disappointing. For the first time on the Memphis City Council, a Republican voted pro-equality: Reid Hedgepeth of Superdistrict 9, Position 3. Hedgepeth voted to add sexual orientation to the proposed ordinance yesterday after voting against previous non-discrimination ordinances presented to the Memphis City Council. So his change in position is significant. 

Councilman Hedgepeth is receiving lots of criticism for his vote from anti-gay opponents of the amended ordinance. Hedgepeth responded with this letter to critics:

I supported the ordinance to prevent discrimination against city employees based upon their sexual identity or preference [sic] for one primary reason: it’s the right thing to do.  This is a group that is not a federally protected class, and yet they are only asking for the same protection that everyone else is afforded under the law.  The right to not be discriminated against in the workplace seems like a perfectly reasonable request to me, especially considering the fact that it wasn’t all that long ago that African-Americans in this city were fighting for the same protections.  And decades before that it was women. My conscience told me that this was the right way to vote, despite what a few Old Testament passages might say about homosexuality.  The Old Testament says a lot of other things too, as we all heard in Council today.  I prefer to take my values from the New Testament as well as leaders I admire.  Men like Fred Smith, for example.  I have long held the view that government in many ways should be run more like a business.  And if businesses like FedEx are progressive enough in their views to have anti-discrimination policies which prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation (as well as gender, race, religion, etc.), then I think the government should follow suit and at least provide those same protections. In my view the City of Memphis has more pressing matters to focus on, such as our current budget woes and economic development, and we need to stop fighting about whether we should be allowed to openly and legally discriminate against some of our employees.  It is petty and counter-productive. Reid Hedgepeth

Hedgepeth explains in his response that he is pro-equality and pro-business. He essentially argues that he is pro-equality because he IS a Republican. At a time when the Republican Party wrote discrimination against LGBT people in their national platform and Republican elected officials at the national, state and local level regularly target LGBT people in their rhetoric and legislation, it's refreshing to hear a fresh perspective.

Equality is not a partisan issue. It's an American value we should all share. Thanks Councilman Hedgepeth! 

Let's all take this opportunity to say thanks to Councilman Hedgepeth. Send him a message of support for his pro-equality vote at Reid.Hedgepeth@memphistn.gov.

Memphis City Council Vote Count

The Commercial Appeal has the vote count from yesterday's debate on the non-discrimination ordinance.

Vote on including sexual orientation in the ordinance

Aye: Shea Flinn, Edmund Ford Jr., Janis Fullilove, Lee Harris, Reid Hedgepeth, Myron Lowery and Jim Strickland.

No: Bill Boyd, Joe Brown, Harold Collins, Kemp Conrad and Bill Morrison.

Abstain: Wanda Halbert

Vote to delay the measure for 30 days 

Aye: Boyd, Brown, Collins, Conrad, Flinn, Ford, Halbert, Morrison and Strickland.

No: Fullilove, Harris and Lowery voted against the delay.

Abstain: Hedgepeth

Watch the debate over the Memphis Non-Discrimination Ordinance

The video of yesterday's hearing on amending the Memphis Non-Discrimination Ordinance is divided into two parts. The first segment includes public input from both sides of the ordinance. The second segment includes debate among members of the Memphis City Council, the vote on the amendment, and the vote on delaying a final vote on the proposed ordinance for 30 days.

Memphis City Council makes progress but not enough

Action News 5 - Memphis, Tennessee

The Memphis City Council made history yesterday in amending Councilman Lee Harris's employment non-discrimination ordinance by adding new non-merit factors which are not covered in the current municipal ordinance: age, disability, and sexual orientation. Seven council members, including 6 Democrats and 1 Republican, voted for the amendment - real progress.

Council members supported the amendment of the ordinance because of support from city employees and employee unions, faith leaders and other mainstream organizations. Tennessee Equality Project is grateful to  many who spoke or came prepared to speak on behalf of the amended ordinance.

But yesterday's victory is bittersweet for two reasons.

First, the council failed to include gender identity or expression in the amendment. At every step in this campaign, TEP has advocated for a fully inclusive ordinance. To exclude gender identity and expression ignores the very real hardships that transgender people face in Memphis. Because of the workplace discrimination they encounter, many transgender people face poverty, homelessness and violence. I reminded the council of this fact in my comments during public input. This ordinance is incomplete and unacceptable without gender identity and expression. We cannot abandon our transgender brothers and sisters and we will continue to push the council to amend the proposed ordinance again.

Second, City Attorney Herman Morris sabotaged immediate passage of the amended proposal by casting doubts on its compatibility with the City of Memphis Charter. Morris and Council Attorney Alan Wade  stated that the ordinance may make the city vulnerable to a lawsuit since sexual orientation is not mentioned in the charter or other state or federal law. Both attorneys suggested that a ballot referendum may be necessary to add such language to the charter to avoid court battles. The council voted to hold the amended ordinance for 30 days until the charter questions could be fully analyzed.

Since versions of this ordinance were introduced twice in 2010, the announcement of a charter conflict two years later is suspicious.

The charter conflict question is a farce. City employees deserve
to know why the administration is standing in the way of equality.

When Tennessee Equality Project worked with original council sponsor Janis Fullilove on the first version of an LGBT-inclusive ordinance, we met extensively with the City Attorney's office and Human Resources Attorney. TEP engaged in this process in good faith to ensure that the proposed LGBT-inclusive ordinance fit within the existing framework of municipal, state and federal law - including the City of Memphis charter.

Many council members and advocates at the meeting suspected foul play. The City of Memphis Charter states the following in Article 34, Section 249:

There shall be no discrimination in the City employment of personnel because of religion, race, sex, creed, political affiliation, or other nonmerit factors, nor shall there be any discrimination in the promotion or demotion of City employees because of religion, race, sex, creed, political affiliation, or other nonmerit factors.

I am not an attorney, but attorneys with whom I've consulted believe that the charter language is expansive in its scope with regard to prohibited factors in employment discrimination. "Other nonmerit factors" provides a floor, not a ceiling, for the recognition of additional forms of prohibited discrimination. Opponents of the ordinance are attempting to use the City of Memphis Charter in the same way that state lawmakers use HB600/SB632 to limit the ability of local government to prohibit discrimination of employees of contractors and other private employers.

To suggest that the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people be subject to a popular vote is a stalling tactic. The Wharton Administration deliberately intervened yesterday to prevent this ordinance from moving forward. City of Memphis employees who deserve to be treated equally on the job deserve to know why.

- Jonathan Cole

A quick post about today's result at Memphis City Council

Be steadfast in your advocacy my friends. We are moving closer to realizing inclusive workplace protections in Memphis. Today's result was a partial victory. While sexual orientation was added to the proposed non-discrimination ordinance, we must continue to press our Memphis City Council to add gender identity and expression to the proposed non-discrimination ordinance. We must also expose the City of Memphis Charter diversion for what it is - an attempt to stall. Plans are in motion to address today's events. I beg your indulgence as TEP and our allies move to address today's mixed results. Please stay tuned for a more in-depth account of what happened today.

-Jonathan Cole

The sad chasm between stories of same-sex couples and the law in Tennessee

I don't know about you, but I was pulled in two different ways as I read this major Tennessean piece about the lives of same-sex couples in Middle Tennessee.  I wanted to cheer them for living their lives with such commitment and I just wanted to crawl in a hole somewhere as I was hit with the impossible gap between their lives and the retrograde marriage laws in our state.  I was hit with that emotion even though I deal with and think about these issues all the time.

Photo from the November 2008 Prop 8 protest in Nashville

I got to be Debbie Downer in the piece and tell the reporter that there's not anything we can do about the marriage discrimination amendment in Tennessee and that when we help state legislative candidates, we're not out talking with straight voters about equality issues.  We're just trying to talk the basics about the candidates.  We are, of course, talking about these issues with the public in other forums on a regular basis and we make our own members aware of which candidates are pro-equality.

So here are the propositions that we have to live with:

*We support marriage equality.

*We can't even come close to getting the Legislature to begin the process to repeal the marriage discrimination amendment.

I wish we could.  I would personally raise funds to erect a statue of any person who could find the 22 votes in the State Senate and the 66 votes in the State House of Representatives to repeal the amendment.  Then, of course, we'd have to win at the ballot. 

But it won't happen in the next ten years, maybe not in 20 years, and maybe never.

When we win marriage equality in Tennessee, it will likely be because of the courts. 

So what can we do?

1.  Elect members of Congress from Tennessee who support repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and who support marriage equality.  They exist.  We need to help them win.

2.  We can help other states win marriage equality this November.  There are ballot measures in Maine, Washington, Maryland, and Minnesota.  TEP is working with United for Marriage to send volunteers to these states and we are soliciting airline miles to aid their travel.  Go to this site for more information.  Will you volunteer to go to one of these states or donate your airline miles?  It helps Tennessee if others states win marriage equality because it pushes us to a critical mass of states that can push challenges to DOMA in the courts.  It increases the pressure nationally!

3.  We can fight for safe schools, protections from job discrimination, and all forms of relationship recognition here by lobbying, educating the public, engaging the media, and demonstrating/rallying right here. 

It's not everything.  It's not as much as we want and need.  But we have to start with what we can do.  So let's do what we can!

Clergy support inclusive workplace protection for City of Memphis employees

Memphis, TN, September 13, 2012 — Several weeks ago, many of us declared our support for equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people on the steps of the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center. As leaders of our faith communities, we join voices in support of an opportunity to advance workplace equality in the City of Memphis.

On September 18, the Memphis City Council will consider an employment non-discrimination ordinance. Clergy Defending Rights for All supports expansion of this ordinance to include age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

Many of our sacred texts and scriptures speak to the importance and sacred nature of work and call on us to protect all workers as a matter of justice. As faith leaders in our communities we often hear of lost jobs and the difficulties of finding work in this difficult economy. We share the concern for the health of our economy in Memphis and find it inexcusable that some workers live in fear of job security because of prejudice.

We support an inclusive employment non-discrimination ordinance for the City of Memphis which protects its employees from discrimination in the workplace based on religion, race, sex, creed, political affiliation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or other non-merit factors.

Rabbi Micah Greenstein - Temple Israel

Pastor Stephen R. Montgomery - Idlewild Presbyterian Church

Fr. Joseph Wallace Williams - Grace St. Luke’s Episcopal Church

Rev. Richard Lawson - Grace St. Luke’s Episcopal Church

Rev. Rebekah Jordan Gienapp - St. John’s United Methodist Church

Pastor Paul Ecknes-Tucker - Holy Trinity Community Church

The Rev. Cheryl Cornish - First Congregational Church

Minister Davin Clemons - Cathedral of Praise Church of Memphis

Rev. Beth Lynley Lefever - Neshoba Church

Rev. Bill Murray - St. Elisabeth's Episcopal Church

Pastor Rosalyn Nichols - Freedom's Chapel Christian Church

Rev. Jarad Bingham - Shady Grove Presbyterian Church

Minister John Gilmore - Open Heart Spiritual Community

Rev. Randall Mullins, retired (Congregational) United Church of Christ

Rev. Gayle McCarty -Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church

Rev. Joseph Pfeiffer, First Congregational Church

Rev. Walt Tennyson - Rhodes College Chaplain

Reverend Anne H.K. Apple - Idlewild Presbyterian Church
Rev. Carla Meisterman, Balmoral Presbyterian Church

Rev. Elaine Blanchard, United Church of Christ
Rev. Bindy Snyder, All Saints Episcopal Church

If you are a pastor, minister, rabbi, imam, or other spiritual leader who supports the above statement, contact Jonathan Cole at JMCole1970@gmail.com to add your name.

Memphis City Council should vote for LGBT- inclusive workplace protections without delay

Action News 5 - Memphis, Tennessee

Momentum for an employment non-discrimination ordinance which includes age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression is building in Memphis but with a gripe or two. In today's WMCTV5 coverage of the campaign to add LGBT-inclusive workplace protections to the non-discrimination ordinance sponsored by Councilman Lee Harris, Councilman Harold Collins objected to the addition of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression: 

"At the last minute to try to add something new and different in the ordinance is unfair," said Collins. The last time the vote failed, equality groups marched to City Hall. Collins explained why he voted against adding sexual orientation back then. "The City of Memphis already has a non-discrimination policy," he said. Cole reiterates the ordinance is not whole without adding the extra language. If Cole's amendment is introduced, Collins said it should go through three new readings because it changes the scope of the ordinance.

Collins' statement that "the City of Memphis already has a non-discrimination policy" glosses over the fact that the city's non-discrimination policy does not include sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. The City of Memphis employment policy and non-discrimination ordinance offer no legal protections for LGBT employees or job applicants. 

Councilman's Collins' call for three new readings on an LGBT-inclusive ordinance may be rooted in a concern for his peers having sufficient time to consider all possible non-merit factors. But in November of 2010, Collins withdrew his support for an LGBT-inclusive ordinance when it appeared for second reading on the council's consent agenda. The Memphis City Council rarely votes an ordinance to defeat when it appears in a consent agenda. The consent agenda contains multiple ordinances on first and second reading and are typically advanced to the next reading without debate. Substantive debate on ordinances is usually delayed until the third reading when the public offers input and Council members vote their conscience. Collins withdrew his support on second reading in 2010 when few members of the public were present to offer input and the inclusive ordinance was the only item in the consent agenda. 

Based on Collins' previous vote, it appears he has no interest in supporting an LGBT-inclusive ordinance. Memphis has waited long enough to resolve the equality gap that exists in municipal law and policy. In the two years since the council voted on an LGBT-inclusive ordinance, there has been ample time to reflect. We commend Councilman Collins on his concern for fairness - a primary concern for LGBT people too.

LGBT people and their heterosexual coworkers consistently report experiencing or witnessing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in the workplace nationally and in Tennessee. Discrimination based on these factors must be addressed by the City of Memphis.  The City of Memphis lags behind most Fortune 500 companies which already offer LGBT-inclusive workplace protections.  Representatives of the NAACP, AFSME, the Memphis Police Association, the Memphis Fire Department, IBEW, ADAPT, Midsouth Peace and Justice Center, the Shelby County Democratic Party, Planned Parenthood of the Greater Memphis Region, Tennessee Equality Project, and the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center support an inclusive non-discrimination ordinance for Memphis.  

The Memphis City Council should adopt an LGBT-inclusive employment non-discrimination ordinance on Sep. 18 without further delay. 

- Jonathan Cole

City of Memphis would be in good company with inclusive workplace protections

Memphis, TN, September 12, 2012 — An ordinance introduced by Lee Harris on the Memphis City Council would add age and disability to the non-merits factors which may not be used in employment decisions for city workers. To truly promote equal opportunity for all, the ordinance must be amended by the Memphis City Council on Sep. 18 to include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Currently, no federal, state or municipal law prohibits discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) workers.

If the Memphis City Council enacts a non-discrimination ordinance which includes sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, Memphis will find itself in line with most Fortune 500 companies. Eighty-six percent of the Fortune 500 include sexual orientation in their nondiscrimination policies and 50 percent include gender identity. These employers know that LGBT-inclusive policies help them attract and retain talented professionals to the workplace. Many of these companies include various sectors of the economy and conduct business in the Memphis area:

Banking, Finance & Insurance: AFLAC*, Delloitte & Touche*, Ernst & Young*, First Horizon National*, Humana*, State Farm*, SunTrust Banks*, Wachovia Bank*
Communications & Technology: AT&T*, Comcast*, IBM*, Verizon Communications
Education & Non-Profit: Rhodes College, Southwest Tennessee Community College*, University of Memphis, University of Tennessee, Memphis Urban League, Tennessee Community Services Agency
Home Improvement: Servicemaster
Hospitality & Lodging: Caesar’s Entertainment*, Harrah’s Entertainment*, Hilton Hotels*, Marriott*
Legal: Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC

Manufacturing: Cargill*, Coca-Cola*, Kellogg*, International Paper, Medtronic*, Merck & Co.*, Nike*, Pepsi Beverages Co.*, Pfizer*, Smith & Nephew, Thomas & Betts
Restaurant and Grocery: KFC, Kroger*, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Starbucks*, Taco Bell
Retailers and Wholesalers: AutoZone, Best Buy*, Costco*, Home Depot, J.C. Penny*, Lowe’s, Macy’s*, Office Depot*, Sears*, Target*, Walgreens*, Wal-Mart*, Williams-Sonoma*,
Transportation & Shipping: Delta Airlines*, FedEx*, Pinnacle Airlines, United Parcel Service*
It’s time for the City of Memphis to catch up with the private sector by offering LGBT-inclusive workplace protections for city workers and job applicants.
*Indicates Equal Opportunity Employment policies that also include gender identity or expression. List compiled from HRC’s 2012 Corporate Equality Index: A Report Card on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Equality in Corporate America and individual employers.

Contact Jonathan Cole, Vice President, Tennessee Equality Project, JMCole1970@gmail.com, 901-301-3306 for more information.

Bias toward LGBT workers must be addressed by the City of Memphis

The Memphis City Council will vote
on an employment non-discrimination
ordinance on Tuesday, Sep. 18

Memphis, TN, September 11, 2012 — A proposal to protect Memphis city government workers and job applicants from bias in the workplace based on age and disability presents an opportunity for truly comprehensive protections. Councilman Lee Harris’s proposed non-discrimination ordinance would add age and disability to non-merit factors which may not be used in employment decisions for city workers. To truly promote equal opportunity for all, the ordinance must be amended by the Memphis City Council on Sep. 18 to include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Currently, no federal, state or municipal law prohibits discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender workers.  

Amending the proposed non-discrimination ordinance will enable city employees to earn a living, provide for their families and contribute to their communities without fear of being treated unfairly in the workplace. Right now, employees of the city of Memphis can be fired for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT).  Job applicants may also be refused city employment for the same reasons.

Nationally, LGBT people and their heterosexual coworkers consistently report experiencing or witnessing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in the workplace (Jennifer C. Pizer, Brad Sears, Christy Mallory, and Nan D. Hunter, Evidence of Persistent and Pervasive Workplace Discrimination Against LGBT People: The Need for Federal Legislation Prohibiting Discrimination and Providing for Equal Employment Benefits, 45 Loy. L.A. L. Rev. 715 (2012):

• 37% of lesbian and gay people have experienced workplace harassment in the last five years, and 12% had lost a job because of their sexual orientation, according to the 2008 General Social Survey
• As recently as 2011, 90% of respondents to the largest survey of transgender people to date reported having experienced harassment or mistreatment at work, or had taken actions to avoid it, and 47% reported having been discriminated against in hiring, promotion, or job retention because of their gender identity.

Dr. Sharon Horne of the University of Memphis and her colleagues found that discrimination is a common occurrence in Tennessee. In three separate national studies they found the following for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender residents of Tennessee:

• 25.8% of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Tennessee residents reported discrimination in housing, services or employment because they were thought to be LGBT(Rostosky, S. S., Riggle, D. B., Horne, S. G., & Miller, A. (2009). The 2006 Marriage Amendments and psychological distress in Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual (LGB) adults. Journal of Counseling, Psychology, 56, 56-66; Riggle, E. D. B., Rostosky, S. S., & Horne, S. G. (2009). Marriage amendments and Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual individuals in the 2006 Election. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 6, 80-89).
• 39.3% of gay male Tennessee residents reported experiencing discrimination in the workplace in the two years prior to the study (Horne, S. G., & Manley, E. [2005]. Gay men in dual-career couples: A national study).
• 23.2% of lesbian and bisexual Tennessee residents reported discrimination at a job, housing, or services [when asked separately: 16.1% job; 5.4% housing; 5.4% services]. (Horne, S.G., & Biss, W. (2009). Equality discrepancy between women in same-sex relationships: The mediating role of attachment in relationship satisfaction. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 60, 721-730).
• 25% of gay Tennessee residents reported being told offensive jokes about lesbians, gay men or bisexual people by their coworkers and supervisors (Horne, S. G., & Manley, E. [2005]. Gay men in dual-career couples: A national study.)
• 14.3% of gay Tennessee residents reported discrimination when seeking employment (Horne, S. G., & Manley, E. [2005]. Gay men in dual-career couples: A national study.)
• 21.4% of gay Tennessee residents reported homophobic remarks made by coworkers and supervisors (Horne, S. G., & Manley, E. [2005]. Gay men in dual-career couples: A national study.)
• 10.7% of gay Tennessee residents reported being denied a promotion, raise or other career advancement (Horne, S. G., & Manley, E. [2005]. Gay men in dual-career couples: A national study.)
• 10.7% of gay Tennessee residents reported their workplace atmosphere was oppressive with respect to sexual orientation. (Horne, S. G., & Manley, E. [2005]. Gay men in dual-career couples: A national study.)
• 32.1% of gay Tennessee residents reported that in their workplace gay employees fear job loss because of sexual orientation (Horne, S. G., & Manley, E.[2005]. Gay men in dual-career couples: A national study.)
• Gay men earn from 10% to 32% less than heterosexual men. According to the 2000 Census, men in same-sex couples in Tennessee earn $32,766 each year, significantly less than $44,122 for married men. The median income of men in same-sex couples in Tennessee is $28,000 or 15% less than that of married men ($33,000). (2000 Census Data; The Williams Institute [2008]. Evidence of employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity: Complaints filed with state enforcement agencies 1999-2007).

Federal, state and municipal laws already protect workers from unfair treatment due to racism, ethnocentrism, sexism, ableism, or religionism. Irrational homophobia, transphobia and heterosexism contributes to unfair discrimination and unequal treatment of LGBT workers. This equality gap must be closed. To prevent these systemic biases from adversely affecting job applicants and employees of the City of Memphis, Tennessee Equality Project and other community leaders urge the Memphis City Council to enact an LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination ordinance on Sep. 18.

Planned Parenthood supports LGBT-inclusive workplace protections in Memphis

Another organization has joined the chorus of voices supporting equal opportunity for all in Memphis. Tennessee Equality Project is grateful to Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region for supporting inclusive workplace protections. Here is their Statement:

“Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region (PPGMR) supports the civil rights of everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. PPGMR supports the expansion of the current non-discrimination ordinance to include sexual orientation and gender expression.

Workers should be judged solely on the basis of their ability to do the job. Our city should not tolerate discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation any more than it tolerates discrimination on the basis of race, gender, creed, color or national origin. Gay, lesbian and transgender employees should have all the protections that other employees enjoy in the workplace. Government should lead the way in expanding workplace protections to include everyone. To do less is an injustice to us all.”

The Memphis City Council is scheduled to vote on an employment non-discrimination ordinance on Tuesday, September 18 at 3:30 PM. 

Advocacy tools for LGBT-inclusive workplace protections in Memphis

As an equality advocate, you can play a vital part in spreading the word that it's time for the City of Memphis to adopt a comprehensive employment non-discrimination ordinance that includes age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Use the following images designed by the fabulously talented Michael Hildebrand for your Profile and Cover Picture on your Facebook profile.

More importantly, plan to attend the 3rd Reading of the Memphis employment non-discrimination ordinance to show your support at 3:30 PM on Tuesday, September, 18, 2012 in Memphis City Council Chambers on the First Floor 125 North Main street. Bring lots of friends!!!

Instructions: Use your mouse to "right click" any of the images below. Select "Save as" on the pop-up menu that appears to save the image to your computer. Then upload and replace your profile or cover photos on your profile when you open Facebook in your browser.

Profile Pictures:

Cover Picture:

YouTube Video:

City of Memphis employees and advocates support an inclusive non-discrimination ordinance

Memphis, TN, September 6, 2012 — Tennessee Equality Project joins a chorus of voices calling for equal opportunity in employment for City of Memphis job applicants and workers. Memphis City Councilman Lee Harris is sponsoring an employment non-discrimination ordinance which would expand current workplace protections to include age and disability.

A coalition of City of Memphis employees, employee associations, unions and community advocates supports expansion of the current ordinance to include age and disability as well as sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to ensure unbiased decisions for these non-merit factors in city employment. Coalition leaders believe that the ordinance must be amended at the third reading of the ordinance to include the above non-merit factors as prohibited forms of bias in the workplace. The Memphis City Council will vote on this ordinance on Tuesday, September 18, 2012.

Here’s what coalition leaders are saying:

"The American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) has led the way among unions demanding equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender workers," said Chad Johnson, Executive Director of AFSCME Local 1733. "AFSCME has long believed that employment decisions should be made on the basis of an individual's ability to perform a job. Workers should not live in fear of losing their jobs or being denied promotions because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age or disability.  AFSCME Local 1733 supports adding age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression to the non-discrimination ordinance for the City of Memphis."

Memphis Police officers work in a department that reflects the diverse characteristics of race, ethnicity, religious belief, political affiliation, age, ability, and sexual orientation in the community they serve. According to Officer Michael Williams, “the Memphis Police Association supports an employment non-discrimination ordinance which reflects this diversity and protects city employees. We believe that officers who are protected from unfair employment discrimination on the job will do better at protecting the safety of all people in the community they serve.”

As a Lieutenant for the Memphis Fire Department with 18 years as firefighter, Gordon Ginsberg believes in treating the firefighters in his company fairly and equally on the job: "No one should have to fear losing their job or being passed over for advancement because of who they are. It's always about who can get the job done. Non-merits factors like race, religion, sex, ethnicity, national origin, political affiliation, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status should never play a part in employment decisions or workplace practices. I believe we Memphians need a clear specific ordinance for a few reasons. One, I believe it will help me execute my duties within the chain-of-command by underscoring the City of Memphis' commitment to our values. Another is to assure and reassure beyond any doubt that the rights of workers under my supervision will be protected. A third is to reinforce the seriousness among all employees of respecting workplace rights. I support an inclusive non-discrimination ordinance for City of Memphis employees.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) supported previous efforts to expand the list of non-merit factors in the City of Memphis non-discrimination ordinance. IBEW Local 474 Business Manager Paul Shaffer recently confirmed IBEW’s continued support for a comprehensive ordinance that includes age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

“Employment discrimination strips away the right of workers to be judged on their merits and abilities,” said Madeleine C. Taylor, Executive Director of the Memphis Branch of the NAACP. “Every American must be allowed to contribute to society without facing unfair discrimination on account of race, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. Our fight for social justice will continue until all can be protected in the work place. The NAACP supports an inclusive employment non-discrimination ordinance for the city of Memphis that includes the above factors to protect city workers. Other Tennessee cities have assumed their responsibility in protecting the rights of city

workers and Memphis should do the same.”

ADAPT of Tennessee is a chapter of National ADAPT, a grass-roots community that organizes disability rights activists to engage in nonviolent direct action, including civil disobedience, to assure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom.  Americans with disabilities have not enjoyed equal access to transportation, housing, and employment. Josue Rodriguez of ADAPT of Tennessee recognizes other marginalized groups in our society who have not enjoyed equal opportunity in Memphis: "ADAPT fully supports an inclusive employment non-discrimination ordinance that expands current protections for City of Memphis workers to include age, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity."

The Shelby County Democratic Party has supported LGBT-inclusive initiatives for equality along with  President Barack Obama. Van Turner, Shelby County Democratic Party Chair, states that “the party wholeheartedly supports an inclusive employment non-discrimination ordinance for City of Memphis employees. Considering that Nashville, Knoxville and Oak Ridge have already enacted similar measures, Memphis must move swiftly to demonstrate our commitment to equality and inclusion for all.”

“The members of the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center wholeheartedly support the passage of an inclusive non-discrimination ordinance for employees of the City of Memphis,” states Executive Director Jacob Flowers. “We know first-hand that workers suffer from discrimination in a variety of workplaces. It is important that our city show the way forward for other entities in our region by passing such an ordinance. Plus, it puts us on par with other municipalities in Tennessee that have passed similar laws to protect its workers. As elected representatives of the citizens of Memphis, it is our hope, that you would seek to lessen the chances of discrimination by any means, this is one simple step that can be taken.”

“Work is an essential part of who we are as Americans, as Mid-Southerners, and as human beings,” says Will Batts, Executive Director of the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center (MGLCC). “It is no longer acceptable that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees must live in fear in their own workplace. Justice demands that each employee be judged simply by their ability to do the job. City government, especially, must lead the way in treating each of our citizens with the dignity, respect and fairness that we all deserve. MGLCC absolutely supports an inclusive employment non-discrimination ordinance that expands current protections for City of Memphis workers to include age, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity.”

The Tennessee Equality Project joins the coalition of support for equal opportunity in the workplace and an inclusive non-discrimination ordinance for City of Memphis employees. It’s time for Memphis to join other cities of comparable size and larger as well as Tennessee cities like Nashville and Knoxville which already prohibit employment discrimination based on age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. TEP calls on the Memphis City Council to amend the current ordinance by including the above non-merits factors on Tuesday, Sep. 18, 2012.

CONTACT:

Jonathan Cole

Tennessee Equality Project

JMCole1970@gmail.com

901-301-3306

tnep.org