Asheville Passes LGBT Resolution

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Asheville Passes LGBT Resolution

Special Report - February 25, 2011
The Asheville City Council approved a controversial pro-homosexual resolution at its February 22 meeting that not only supports the expansion of the city’s nondiscrimination policy to include terms associated with homosexuality and transgenderism, but also would create a domestic partnership registry for same-sex couples. The city council voted 5 to 1 to approve the resolution, which was proposed by the pro-homosexual group, “People for Just Relationships.” According to the Asheville Citizen Times, city council members Brownie Newman, Cecil Bothwell, Jan Davis, Esther Manheimer, and Gordon Smith voted in favor of the resolution. The only “no” vote was cast by Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy. One council member was not present.

The resolution would:

Extend the city’s employment discrimination clause to include “sexual orientation,” “gender” and “gender identity or expression.”
Enact an anti-bullying ordinance for all city institutions and grounds.
Create a domestic partner registry to recognize same-sex relationships. The registry would aid employers in recognizing the relationships.
Endorse and support the rights of same-sex couples to share equally in the familial rights and responsibilities of civil marriage.

Last year, the Asheville City Council joined a few other municipalities in North Carolina, including Durham and Chapel Hill, in enacting public benefits for same-sex partners of city employees.

“The Asheville City Council’s resolution is just another example of efforts by homosexual activists and their allies to undermine marriage,” said Bill Brooks, president of the North Carolina Family Policy Council. “These efforts underscore the urgent need for a Marriage Protection Amendment for North Carolina. Legislation that would give North Carolinians the opportunity to vote on a Marriage Protection Amendment has once again been introduced in the State Senate for the 8^th year in a row, and we urge the General Assembly to take up this measure swiftly and send it to the people for a vote.”

SB 106—Defense of Marriage, is a bill in the General Assembly that would give North Carolina citizens the chance to vote on a Marriage Protection Amendment, was introduced earlier this week by Senator James Forrester (R–Gaston) with 22 cosponsors. The measure would ask voters on November 6, 2012 (the date of the next statewide general election) to vote for or against a “Constitutional amendment to provide that marriage between a man and a woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.”

Related resources:
Proposed Asheville Ordinance - February 14, 2011
Asheville Council Wants DP Benefits - February 25, 2010