Chapel Hill Passes LGBTQ Discrimination Ordinance Print
Local Government
By Administrator   
Thursday, 14 January 2021 11:10
The Town Council of Chapel Hill, North Carolina voted to pass an ordinance broadly protecting members of the LGBTQ community from discrimination. The victory comes in the same week that Hillsborough, NC and Carrboro, NC passed similar ordinances. Municipalities regained the freedom to pass such measures on December 1, 2020, following the expiration of a key prong of HB142.
 
Karen Stegman, Council Member of Chapel Hill, said:
“We have waited for the opportunity to take this important action to help ensure all who live, work, and visit our community can do so free of discrimination based on who they are, what they look like, how they worship, or who they love. This ordinance represents our Town’s commitment to working towards a community that is free from individual and institutional discrimination, where all can thrive.”
 
Kendra R. Johnson, Executive Director of Equality North Carolina, said:
"With the backdrop of so much pain this week, North Carolinians have amazingly stepped up and demonstrated that our state is a beautiful place to be LGBTQ. For too long, North Carolina has lagged behind the rest of the nation when it comes to protecting LGBTQ folks and creating a culture where our most vulnerable can thrive. The tides are changing, and we hope other cities and towns across our state will be encouraged by these victories and do the right thing for their own citizens in the weeks ahead."
 
Allison Scott, Director of Policy & Programs at Campaign for Southern Equality, said:
“Especially right now, it’s heartening to see these three communities in North Carolina – and more to come next week – reject the politics of division. These ordinances not only establish concrete, clear protections from discrimination but also send a message that everyone deserves respect, dignity, and equality. We applaud the leadership of these lawmakers and cheer on the momentum that these ordinances signal for LGBTQ North Carolinians across the state.”