July 23, 2013
Contact: Chris Sanders (615) 390-5252 chris@tnequalityproject.com
Tennessee Equality Project applauds Knox County Commission on passage of non-discrimination ordinance
Nashville,
TN—The Tennessee Equality Project (TEP), an organization that advocates equal rights for Tennessee’s gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgender community, congratulates the
Knox County Commission on passing an amendment to their
non-discrimination ordinance that includes sexual
orientation and gender
identity.
Sponsored
by Commissioner Amy Broyles, the ordinance passed its second and final
reading yesterday without debate after the Commission named a new County Trustee.
Knox County now becomes the fourth local government in Tennessee to
protect its government employees from job discrimination based on sexual
orientation and gender identity. Metro Nashville in 2009, the City of
Knoxville in 2012, and the City of Memphis in 2012 made similar moves.
Ben
Byers, chair of the TEP Knox County Committee, notes the importance of
the ordinance, "With no state or federal job protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender workers, the county's non-discrimination ordinance is vital in guaranteeing fairness on the
job. It means that Knox County won't allow discrimination to get in
the way of attracting and retaining talented employees."
Byers,
who attended yesterday's meeting, was joined by a group of citizens
wearing blue and stickers that said "Same Work, Same Worth" to show
their support of the ordinance.
Commissioner Amy Broyles and supporters in blue celebrate victory |
For
more information on the Tennessee Equality Project and the Tennessee Equality
Project Foundation, go to http://www.tnequalityproject. org
.
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