Blog   Blog | Government | Health & Sexuality | Religious Freedom

The vote is drawing near! As we have been reporting, the Charlotte City Council is scheduled to vote this Monday, February 22 on a highly controversial policy change that would put women, children and families in the Queen City at great risk.

If you live in or around the Charlotte area, please plan to join other concerned citizen to RALLY against this dangerous proposal at 5:00 p.m. Monday afternoon outside of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center. Local faith and business leaders will be speaking out against the policy.

You are also encouraged to contact the members of the Charlotte City Council (contact information is provided below) and urge them to oppose this hazardous ordinance change. Be sure your voice is heard!

If adopted, this policy would make Charlotte the first city in the state to adopt a “public accommodation” ordinance that creates civil-rights-status legal protections based on an individual’s self-determined “sexual orientation,” “gender identity,” or “gender expression.” This would place the protected privacy rights of women, men and children at risk and would put the constitutionally protected religious liberties of small business owners and others at stake.

The proposal would:

• Allow men to go into women’s restrooms, locker rooms, and shower rooms, and would allow women to go into men’s restrooms, locker rooms, or shower rooms, regardless of the individual’s biological sex.The ordinance would apply to any “public accommodation,” including hotels, motels, restaurants, schools, day care centers, museums, libraries, parks, amusement parks, pools, gyms, theaters, stadiums, convention centers, retail businesses, shopping malls, etc

• Force small business owners – especially those involved in the wedding industry – to embrace and celebrate same-sex unions or face legal action by the government. Similar “anti-discrimination ordinances” in other states have forced florists, photographers, bakers, bed-and-breakfast owners, and others to decide between violating their sincerely held religious beliefs about sexuality and marriage or paying severe penalties and even shutting down their businesses.

Please contact the following members of the Charlotte City Council and ask them to “OPPOSE” this dangerous proposed policy change:

• Jennifer Roberts (Mayor): 704-336-3131; mayor@charlottenc.gov
• Vi Lyles (Mayor Pro Tem): 704-336-3431; vlyles@charlottenc.gov
• Patsy Kinsey (District 1): 704-336-3432; pkinsey@charlottenc.gov
• Al Austin (District 2): 704-336-3185; aaustin@charlottenc.gov
• LaWana Mayfield (District 3): 704-336-3435; lmayfield@charlottenc.gov
• Greg Phipps (District 4): 704-336-3436; gaphipps@charlottenc.gov
• John Autry (District 5): 704-336-2777; jautry@charlottenc.gov
• Kenny Smith (District 6): 704-574-7241; krsmith@charlottenc.gov
• Ed Driggs (District 7): 704-432-7077; edriggs@charlottenc.gov 
• Julie Eiselt (at large): 704-336-4099; julie.eiselt@charlottenc.gov
• Claire Green Fallon (at large): 704-336-6105 cfallon@charlottenc.gov
• James Mitchell (at large): 704-336-3430; james.mitchell@charlottenc.gov 

TAKE ACTION!  This measure was defeated last year because of the actions of concerned citizens in the Charlotte area and across North Carolina. We need your help again, so please reach out to these local officials. Thank You!