CLARIFICATION:
DeeJay Johannessen, the CEO of HELP Center for LGBTQ+ Health, who led the effort to get the city of Arlington to incorporate protections against discrimination for LGBTQ+ residents of the city in 2021, sent Dallas Voice this clarification regarding the Arlington City Council’s vote on Tuesday night to suspend those protections:
“The Arlington City Council suspended the city’s entire anti-discrimination chapter, resulting in the loss of protections for all residents, including members of the LGBTQ+ community. Previously, the council considered an ordinance focused specifically on sexual orientation and gender identity; however, that proposal was withdrawn, and the council ultimately voted to maintain the full suspension of protections citywide.”
ORIGINAL POST:
The Arlington City Council tonight (Tuesday, Nov 9) voted to suspend anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people, becoming the first city in the country to rescind such protections.
The vote was 5-4, and came before an overflow crowd and after two hours of what the Dallas Morning News described as “emotional testimony” from more than 60 speakers, following months of heated debate and delayed votes.
The protections suspended by tonight’s votes were put into place only four years ago, in June 2021, and protected LGBTQ+ residents against discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations. The council abandoned those protections in the face of threats from the Trump administration to withhold federal funds from cities and other entities that don’t toe the line in the administrations war against diversity, equality and inclusion.
The vote goes into effect immediately and remains in effect until further notice.
The five council members voting to suspend protections were Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Raul Gonzales, Mauricio Galante, Rebecca Boxall, Long Pham and Bowie Hogg. Mayor Jim Ross sided with council members Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Barbara Odom-Wesley, Nikkie Hunter and Andrew Piel to vote to keep those protections in place.
Watch the Dec. 12 issue of Dallas Voice for more coverage of this vote and what to expect in its aftermath.
— Tammye Nash