Tyler Carlton
Tyler Carlton has been working with Denton City Council members for three months to draft a resolution supporting marriage equality.
Carlton, a member of the Denton County Democratic Party, presented a citizen’s report before the council in support of a resolution in April, which received positive support from council members.
Members assigned the city secretary’s office to conduct research for a possible resolution. And Councilman Dalton Gregory asked the city manager’s office to research policies and benefits the city could offer its LGBT employees, including domestic partner benefits. The city currently prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in its Equal Employment Opportunity policy.
Gregory previously told Dallas Voice he thought the reports made before the council on marriage equality “were thoughtful and compelling,” but wasn’t sure how the council would proceed since they hadn’t discussed the issue.
Carlton started working on the resolution draft a week ago after meetings with council members were unproductive, and some had said they weren’t sure what the LGBT community wanted from the resolution.
“I decided to draft it myself, because after not having much of a bite on our offer, I met with Dalton Gregory and after hearing his opinion about how he was not yet convinced,” he said. “I decided if I write the resolution, then they would completely understand exactly what we are asking and it now puts them in a place where they directly would have to say ‘Yes, I support marriage equality’ or ‘No, I am against same-sex marriage.’”
Carlton plans to meet with council members to get feedback on the draft and hopes to get it on the council’s agenda by August, when he moves out of state. But he said that gives him time to gain support and tweak it after the U.S. Supreme Court issues rulings in two marriage equality cases next week.
Read the resolution draft below.
