Voters Repeal City Ordinance Extending Employment Non-Discrimination, Domestic Partner Protections for City Employees
WASHINGTON, DC, Aug. 8, 2014 — The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund is extremely disappointed with the outcome of a voter-approved ballot initiative in Chattanooga yesterday. The ballot measure called for the repeal a city ordinance that extended employment non-discrimination protections and domestic partner benefits to its city employees.
“The passage of the Chattanooga ballot measure is extremely disappointing. Now the city’s hardworking LGBT employees and their families have been stripped of their basic rights. And, what happened in Chattanooga yesterday can happen in towns all across America. We need to be vigilant. We need to redouble our efforts. We need to continue sharing our personal stories of discrimination. And we need to be hopeful: while we may have lost this ballot measure, history is on our side and I am certain that in the not too distant future, the LGBT people of Chattanooga — and all LGBT people across the state of Tennessee — will have equality, freedom and justice,” said Rev. Darlene Nipper, deputy executive director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund.
“We thank the Yes Chattanooga campaign, Chattanooga Mayor Berke, Council member Chris Anderson, Civil Rights leader Moses Freeman, and the 500 tireless volunteers for partnering with us in the effort to protect the basic rights of the city’s LGBT employees. We look forward to our continued work to secure full equality for all,” Nipper said.
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CONTACT:
Jorge Amaro
Media and Public Relations Director
213-842-7564
jamaro@thetaskforce.org