Mayor Steven Reed pushes ordinance opponents say infringe on business, property, and religious rights
In June, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed’s office unveiled plans to create a law to protect LGBTQ residents from discrimination. However, the move to ban discrimination against LGBTQ people in Montgomery has expanded into a wider non-discrimination ordinance, and it’s being delayed by pushback that city officials blame on misinformation, Montgomery Advertiser reported. According to the mayor’s office, the ordinance would ban discrimination based on “real or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, familial status, or veteran status.” Specifically, it would make it illegal to discriminate against any of those groups in the areas of public accommodation, housing, employment, and in all city practices, including contracting. In August, members of the public were allowed to address the council on non-agenda items for the first time since March 2020. Multiple speakers have lobbied against the ordinance. Matt Clark of the conservative Alabama Center for Law and Liberty warned the council that voting for the ordinance would force their Christian residents to become criminals because their faith would require them to break the non-discrimination law. In a recent op-ed, Clark wrote, “Because it defines gender identity as “the actual or perceived gender-related identity, expression, appearance, or mannerisms, or other gender-related characteristics of an individual,” an establishment cannot question whether an individual is actually transgender if that person merely expresses, appears, or acts that way. Consequently, to gain access to women’s restrooms, locker rooms, or showers, a sexual predator will merely have to act like he is transgender. For all its claims about wanting to protect the weak, liberalism is alarmingly willing to subject women and children to severe trauma.” Reed said the ordinance remains a priority and that he hopes it will pass. “It’s important to make sure we’re in line with our principles and values that we say we profess as the birthplace of the civil rights movement,” Reed stated. “We also want to make sure that we’re doing things in the fashion of the new Montgomery that we want to be. That means making sure that we consider and pass ordinances like this that are not only integral to the quality of place that we have right now, but the quality of the city that we want to become.”
Regions bank CEO John Turner only AL based CEO of “Diversity and Inclusion” program with mandated unconscious bias training
Regions Bank, locally headquartered in Alabama, joins the increasing efforts of banks across the nation to incorporate greater diversity and inclusion measures within the workplace. Taleisha (Nikki) Ming-White, the organizational and leadership development administrator for Regions Bank’s Learning and Development team, has led many social justice efforts. In October of 2020, she joined a diversity and inclusion fellowship hosted by CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, or CEO Action. Established in 2017, CEO Action consists of 1,300-plus CEOs campaigning to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Beginning in October 2020, the group launched a fellowship program, attracting individuals from a plethora of industries and fields to craft policy designed to combat racism and achieve greater levels of social justice. Based on Regions Bank’s newfound membership of the CEO Action coalition, the bank was selected to participate in the newfound fellowship program. Notably, Ming-White was also afforded the opportunity to represent Regions for a maximum of two years with the CEO Action for Racial Equity fellowship program. Within the past several years, Ming-White has made it a goal to incorporate diversity measures by creating diversity and inclusion training materials, collaborating with colleagues in Human Resources to incorporate diversity measures in the hiring process, and streamlining the bank’s diversity tracking and reporting system. She also currently serves as co-chair for the Junior League of Birmingham’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce. John M. Turner, Jr., CEO of Regions Bank, additionally made a point to sign the CEO Action’s official CEO Pledge, which vows to increase the equity of all, namely Blacks, Latinos, Asians, Native Americans, LGBTQ, disabled, veterans, and women. The pledge, which 2,000 CEOs have already supported, commences in an apologetic claim that business leaders just aren’t doing enough. It then delves into 4 separate commitments, with one of them advocating for an expansion of re-education policies to guarantee free “unconscious bias education modules.” The pledge concludes by voicing the need for greater enforcement mechanisms for the group’s agenda as it states, “We also pledge to create accountability systems within our companies to track our own progress and to share regular updates with each other in order to catalog effective programs and measurement practices.” The CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion’s website states, “Simply put, organizations with diverse teams perform better.”
LGBTQ Charter school denied again but supporters are forging ahead
At the September 10 charter school commission meeting, the Alabama Public Charter School Commission rejected the application for the first LGBTQ charter school. Four of the eight commissioners abstained from the vote, three voted yes, and one commissioner voted no, reported AL.com. The single no vote effectively denied approval for Magic City Acceptance Academy. This was the second chance for the Magic City Acceptance Academy to be approved. However, Commission Chairman Henry Nelson appealed to Commissioner Marla Green to call for a new vote. Green refused, so Nelson called for a commission meeting for September 17. It is unclear if they will reconsider at this meeting. Birmingham Aids Outreach started the charter school application process in order to “provide an affirming learning environment for LGBTQ students”, according to a BAO press release. “We’re thrilled to support BAO and the Magic Center Acceptance Center in their application for a charter school. All kids deserve a school environment that is welcoming and affirming, and far too often, that is just not the experience kids in the LGBTQ community have in a traditional school. This application has all of the elements to not only deliver a nurturing school environment but also an excellent academic experience,” said Tyler Barnett, Executive Director of New Schools for Alabama. The mission of BAO is to “enhance the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS, at-risk, affected individuals, and the LGBTQ community through outreach, age-appropriate prevention education, and supportive services.” Commissioner Nelson has questioned whether the denial was due to bias. Al.com quoted Commissioner Nelson as saying, “There’s no school that’s come before us with stronger leadership, with the amount of money they have and have their own facility,” said Nelson. “I can’t see any reason based on our previous votes…that this school matches if not exceeds, every other school that we’ve voted on.” After the vote, MCAA Principal Michael Wilson spoke to the commissioners. “I would implore you to put bias aside and let us save some lives by providing the atmosphere and the academic environment that so many students out there need,” Wilson said. During the meeting, the commission approved two charter applications: Breakthrough Charter School in Perry County and Ivy Classical Academy in Prattville. They also denied an application from Knowledge Unlimited. Magic City Acceptance Academy was planning to open with 200-300 students grades 6-12 and be located in Bessemer. To reach the commissioners, go to their website for information.
Carbon Hill Mayor Mark Chambers resigns months after calling for killing of LGTBQ people
Carbon Hill Mayor Mark Chambers has resigned after months of criticism and controversy. According to WBRC, he submitted his letter to the city clerk. The city scheduled an emergency meeting for July 1st. Greg Andrews will be Mayor Pro Tem. Chambers has been mayor of Carbon Hill since 2014. In 2019, Chambers faced criticism over a controversial Facebook comment. In response to a post on his Facebook page, Chambers wrote, “The only way to change it would be to kill the problem out. I know it’s bad to say but without killing them out there’s no way to fix it.” The response is no longer on Facebook. In an interview with WSFA News, Chambers denied writing the comment, but finally admitted he had. He responded that it was meant to be a private conversation between two people and didn’t mean for the post to be made public. He then apologized for the comment. Following the controversy, two Carbon Hill council members resigned. During that July 2019 council meeting, Chambers refused to step down and discussed plans to run for re-election. An online petition asking for his resignation states, “LGBTQ people live in every community across the state–rural, urban, and suburban. This is our state, but those aren’t our values. No person who threatens community members with violence should be permitted to hold office in Alabama. Therefore, we demand Mayor Chambers resign and that city officials take active steps to protect LGBTQ residents.” Currently, the petition has over 700 signatures.
GOP Representative pitches LGBTQ bill with religious exemptions
As Democrats champion anti-discrimination protections for the LGBTQ community and Republicans counter with worries about safeguarding religious freedom, one congressional Republican is offering a proposal on Friday that aims to achieve both goals. The bill that Utah GOP Rep. Chris Stewart plans to unveil would shield LGBTQ individuals from discrimination in employment, housing, education, and other public services — while also carving out exemptions for religious organizations to act based on beliefs that may exclude those of different sexual orientations or gender identities. Stewart’s bill counts support from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Seventh-day Adventist Church, but it has yet to win a backer among House Democrats who unanimously supported a more expansive LGBTQ rights measure in May. But the uphill climb for his plan doesn’t daunt Stewart, who sees the bill as a way to “bridge that gap” between preventing discrimination and allowing religion to inform individual decisions. “I don’t know many people who wake up and say ‘I want to discriminate’. Most people find that offensive,” Stewart told The Associated Press. “There are people who, and I’m included among them, have religious convictions that put them in a bind about how to reconcile those two principles.” The Utah lawmaker’s legislation comes as the Supreme Court prepares to rule on cases that touch squarely on the issue of employment discrimination against LGBTQ people, who currently do not receive specific protection in federal civil rights laws. While 21 states have laws that bar employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Democrats in Congress and running for president are pushing for a federal statute that would provide broader protections. But that more sweeping bill’s chances of passage are low unless Democrats take back full control of Congress as well as the White House, given President Donald Trump’s opposition and Republican critics who warn of a risk to religious freedom. That prospect has informed Stewart and outside groups’ work on a proposal to enshrine rights for the LGBTQ community while also preserving the right for religious groups to act in accordance with their faiths. Among other faith-based exemptions to anti-discrimination protections in the bill is an allowance for religious groups such as churches and schools to employ those who align with their internal guidelines, according to a summary provided in advance of its release. The bill also would prohibit religious groups that oppose same-sex marriage from having their tax-exempt status revoked. “We have taken back the religious liberty principle from extremists who I think do want to do harm to LGBTQ people and minority rights,” said Tyler Deaton, a senior adviser to the American Unity Fund, a nonprofit supporting Stewart’s bill that seeks to build conservative support for LGBTQ rights. Deaton added that some religious conservative groups who were consulted on the bill ultimately chose not to endorse it. By Elana Schor Associated Press. Republished with the Permission of the Associated Press.
Birmingham scores perfect in LGBTQ support; the rest of Alabama, not so much
When it comes to inclusivity for Alabama’s LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) community, a new study released by Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation — the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization — found most cities aren’t particularly LGBTQ-friendly. The scores of the seventh annual Municipal Equality Index (MEI), which were released Monday, looked at 506 municipalities in all 50 states to determine how inclusive municipal laws, policies, and services are of LGBTQ people who live and work there. Cities are rated based on non-discrimination laws, the municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement and the city leadership’s public position on equality. As part of the study, eight Alabama cities were scored on their commitment to the health, welfare, safety and equality of the LGBTQ community. Only Birmingham, managed to surpass the national average of 58, as the Magic City received a perfect 100 points making it “the first city in the Deep South to reach this zenith.” Meanwhile, the next highest Alabama city wasTuscaloosa with only 30 points. Both Huntsville and Mobile trailed with 19 points, with Montgomery close behind with 17. Florence and Hoover tied with 12 points, and Auburn comes in last with just 4 points. A closer look at the Alabama scores: It turns out, Alabama is currently one of 30 states without comprehensive LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination protections at the state level. “For LGBTQ Americans, legal protections and benefits vary widely depending on location — states and cities have markedly different laws governing discrimination,” the HRC said in a statement. “21 states have non-discrimination laws that include protections for LGBTQ people in employment, and 20 states have laws that protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in places of public accommodation.”
Alabama ranks 6th highest for LGBTQ discrimination complaints in workplace
According to a summertime report, Alabama employers saw the sixth-highest rate of complaints for workplace discrimination from LGBTQ employees in the nation. The report by InsuranceQuotes.com found between 2014 and 2017 there were 3.2 discrimination charges made per 100,000 Alabama residents, for a total of 167 charges. To find these numbers, analysts studied statistics from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, analyzing complaints related to gender identity and sexual orientation in recent years. Their findings reveal patterns in employee activism and how often they actually succeed in obtaining compensation. “Cumulatively, LGBTQ-related complaints increased substantially between 2014 and 2015 and again between 2015 and 2016. In 2017, however, complaints declined slightly from the year before,” the report reads. How Alabama compares
Last week California, next up Alabama? Fight to end cash bail comes to Birmingham
A Birmingham queer liberation organization will be hosting an “Ending Money Bail Workshop” later in September, calling attention to growing national movement to end cash bail. Earlier this week, California Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation to end cash bail in the state. “Several U.S. cities and states have in recent years reduced their reliance on bail, arguing the system unfairly confines poor people, creating overcrowded jails and extra costs for taxpayers,” the Wall Street Journal reported. Those who have been accused of crimes will instead be assessed, released on their own recognizance, given conditions for their release (GPS trackers, placed on house arrest) or held in jail. The Birmingham chapter of Southerners On New Ground (SONG) is hoping to spark the conversation here in the Yellowhammer State by hosting the “Critical Resistance: Ending Money Bail Workshop,” at the Beloved Community Church September 29th at 2:00 p.m. “Join SONG Birmingham for the first political education workshop on the End Money Bail campaign. We will learn together about how this campaign fits into a larger narrative around prison abolition,” the description of the event on Facebook reads. “We will deepen our understanding of the local bail system, and we will envision alternatives together!” “Across the South, we are building team justice to put an end to the policy and practice of Money Bail. We come from directly impacted communities – Black, Latinx, people of color, immigrant, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and trans (LGBTQ), and working class,” the description continues. “We know that people belong at home, in our neighborhoods, families, communities and not in cages.” SONG Birmingham is a local chapter of Southerners On New Ground (SONG), a southeast regional “Queer Liberation organization” with allies in the immigrant, undocumented, disabled, LGBTQ and working class communities. According to the group’s website, “SONG builds a beloved community of LGBTQ people in the South who are ready and willing to do our part to challenge oppression in order to bring about liberation for ALL people.” “We develop leadership, build our membership base, and identify and carry out community organizing projects and campaigns,” the site continues. “All of our work strives to bring together marginalized communities to work towards justice and liberation for all people.”
UAB to bring awareness to transgender rights
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) will host an event to bring awareness to the rights of transgender people in September. The Human Rights of Transgender Persons event will be held at the UAB Hill Student Center on Thursday September 13 at 6:00 p.m. Several guest speakers will be there to discuss issues facing the community, including Brianna Patterson, a transgender rights activist. According to the event’s Facebook description, Patterson is a “military veteran, former firefighter, and current graduate student who is working hard to change the narrative about Transgender people in the South.” Patterson is a member of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, an educational organization devoted to transgender health. She first posted her story of overcoming discrimination in the work place on the Invisible History Project’s (IHP) website. According to the same site, the IHP is “designed to be a repository for the preservation of the history of LGBTQ life first in the state of Alabama and then the entire Southeast.” The UAB Special Collections Library is a partner of the project. Married couple, and screenwriters, Tony Phelan and Joan Rater, will also be speaking on how having a transgender son has transformed their lives. Phelan and Rater were both executive producers and writers for the popular hospital drama television show Grey’s Anatomy. For more information on the event click here.
Randall Woodfin names Josh Coleman as Birmingham’s first LGBTQ liaison
It may be outside of his first 100 days, but Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin is making good on yet another 100 days campaign promise: to hire an LGBT liaison to serve on my executive staff. On Sunday, Woodfin named Josh Coleman during the city’s PRIDE FEST event at Sloss Furnaces. “From our administration’s standpoint, when we watch what’s happening in our country, when we watch what’s happening at the state level, I think it’s important that municipal governments, local governments, play an active role in making sure that we’re not discriminating, that we fight against discrimination,” said Woodfin. As LGBTQ liaison, Coleman will build upon the relationship between the LGBTQ community and the City of Birmingham by focusing on the public safety of the LGBTQ communities, and by helping to prevent LGBTQ discrimination in our city wherever it may exist. Coleman currently serves as is vice president of Central Alabama Pride, a nonprofit focused on celebrating pride and diversity in Central Alabama. He also serves as the National Committeeman with the Alabama Young Democrats and is an Advisor of the Alabama Young Democrats’ LGBT caucus. Coleman also serves on the board of directors for Central Alabama Pride and the Greater Birmingham Democrats. Since 2008 Josh has served on the board of several non-profits, worked on a variety of political campaigns, and as Alabama’s volunteer coordinator for Hillary Clinton‘s 2016 presidential campaign. “It really is an honor to serve in this position, and have a mayor interested in making sure that all of its residents are represented,” said Coleman. “This is the next step in Mayor Woodfin’s commitment to having an open, fair and inclusive city.” In his new role, which begins June 25, Coleman Watch Woodfin make the announcement below:
LGBTQ nonprofit rescinds Patricia Todd’s job offer after tweet trying to ‘out’ Kay Ivey
An Orlando-based LGBTQ nonprofit has withdrawn its job offer to outgoing Alabama State Rep. Patricia Todd after she posted on social media calling Governor Kay Ivey gay and saying she deserves to be outed. One Orlando Alliance, central Florida’s largest coalition of LGBTQ advocacy groups, had named Todd, Alabama’s first openly gay lawmaker, as their new executive director earlier this month. “The Board affirms that Ms. Todd’s recent comments are not aligned with the values of One Orlando Alliance,” said Jennifer Foster, chair of the alliance’s board of directors, which unanimously voted Thursday to withdraw Todd’s employment contract. “We strongly believe that coming out is a personal choice, and we do not support involuntarily outing.” “While Ms. Todd has a well-established record of outstanding service to the community, her lapse in judgment has led us to end our relationship with her,” Foster said. “We admire her many decades of exemplary service and believe that, with the right opportunity, Ms.Todd will continue to use her many talents to make significant progress advocating for justice and equality.” The post On Tuesday, Todd took to both Twitter and Facebook in an effort to “out” Ivey. “Will someone out her for God’s sake….I have heard for years that she is gay and moved her girlfriend out of her house when she became Gov. I am sick of closeted elected officials,” she posted. The Alliance Eighteen organizations formed the alliance in June 2016 following the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando to offer short-term crisis counseling, emergency care packages, and money to victims and their families. Since then, the alliance has grown to more than forty groups with a long-term vision to support and empower LGBTQ residents in central Florida. Todd had been hired to bring together LGBTQ+ organizations and work to transform Central Florida into an accepting and unified community for all. She was set to begin in her new role June 1. Todd did not respond to requests for comment.
We need to focus on results, not rumors
In what universe does a “champion” of the LGBTQ community take to social media in an attempt to “out” another politician/individual as a homosexual? Giving no credence to the accusation itself, I can’t help but wonder why someone who has spent their career advocating for equality and fairness for all, would taking a parting shot meant only to create division, before they head down to Orlando for their new job, to use social media to bully another individual. I will say here what I said when Gov. Robert Bentley‘s personal life became the subject of public discussion, tabloid style innuendo and gossip throughout the State House and every other nook and cranny of Montgomery: unless an individual’s personal life directly impacts their work (which we found to be the case with Gov. Bentley and Rebecca Mason), an individual’s personal life should remain just that. Their personal business. Gov. Kay Ivey is running on a platform of bolstering jobs across the state, of transparency and accountability in government (though we all know I’ve had someone questions about that lately), and any innuendo about her personal life — whether she’s heterosexual or homosexual or anything in between — is none of the voter’s business. Frankly, I won’t be voting for or against Ivey based on her personal life. I’ll be voting for the best candidate for the office of governor, as I do with all candidates and races, based on the merits of each persons qualifications and the direction that I want the state to move in. In this day and age, where society has made much progress towards accepting different lifestyles and choices, we should not speculate about one’s sexuality and it certainly shouldn’t be used as a weapon as Rep. Todd tried to do this week. Again, what is happening in ones bedroom doesn’t really matter in terms of ability to do a given job so long as there aren’t any professional complications to go with the personal actions. Anyone perpetuating this rumor should be ashamed of themselves and needs to focus on the things that really matter for our state and the people in it. We need to focus on results, not rumors. Alabama is at a turning point where we’re slowly making headway against the Bentley fall out and the national headlines that stemmed from the U.S. Senate race. Let’s concentrate on the positive and we have plenty of that at the moment.
