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Wednesday’s Dallas City Council may be déjà vu for some LGBT advocates and allies when the gallery is full of red like it was in June for an LGBT equality resolution.
But this time LGBT advocates hope to encourage councilmembers to support a resolution and pass it, instead of express anger for the resolution that failed to go before the council last year.
The “Comprehensive Statement of Support” resolution passed committee last week and was slated to go before the full council for a vote Wednesday, but Mayor Mike Rawlings delayed the council vote because he wants to discuss legal implications in executive session before the full council votes on it.
The new measure directs the city manager and city staff to resolve the inequities in city employment for its LGBT employees, as well as help the city be an advocate for state and federal LGBT equality.
In response to the delay by Rawlings, advocates plan to show up in mass at City Hall Wednesday wearing red to address the council and show support in the audience for the resolution.
Advocates have launched a Facebook page called “Dallas LGBT Equality Resolution” to gain support for the measure. It has received 626 likes so far.
LGBT people and allies planning on attending the meeting are encouraged to show up to meet with Councilmen Adam Medrano and Philip Kingston at 8 a.m. on the fifth floor before the 9 a.m. council meeting on the sixth floor. If people cannot attend the meeting, advocates urge supports to contact their councilmember.
Meanwhile, GetEQUAL TX issued travel advisory Tuesday for LGBT people coming to Dallas. The statewide activist organization issued a similar warning in San Antonio during the summer when the discussion around a nondiscrimination ordinance divided the city.
“This alert has been issued based on the fact that Dallas — the 9th largest city in the country — has refused multiple efforts by the community to pass resolutions backing marriage equality, employment nondiscrimination, and most recently a comprehensive statement of support for the LGBT community,” GetEQUAL TX says in a press release.
Read the full travel advisory below.
GetEQUAL Texas Issues Travel Alert for LGBT Travelers Planning Trips to Dallas, Texas
Dallas, TX — Today, GetEQUAL Texas — a statewide grassroots social justice organization working toward the full equality of all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Texans — issued a travel alert to any LGBT person planning travel to the Dallas area. This alert has been issued based on the fact that Dallas — the 9th largest city in the country — has refused multiple efforts by the community to pass resolutions backing marriage equality, employment nondiscrimination, and most recently a comprehensive statement of support for the LGBT community.
Although the majority of the Dallas City Council has expressed an interest in showing support for the LGBT community, city officials led by Mayor Mike Rawlings have repeatedly thwarted efforts to bring resolutions to a full vote of the council and those who support discrimination against LGBT people — such as City Councilman Sheffie Kadane — have been very vocal in their opposition.
Tiffani Bishop, a Texas State Lead Organizer for GetEQUAL says, “The repeated delays by Mayor Mike Rawlings, City Councilman Sheffie Kadane, and other members of City Council sends a clear message that I am not welcome in my home town.”
Sam Merten, the spokesman for Mayor Rawlings, has indicated that a vote on the proposed ordinance amendments will take place on March 5, 2014 — though after multiple stalling tactics and machinations, local advocates are not optimistic.
Mark Jiminez, Dallas resident and GetEQUAL TX member says, “These ordinances and resolutions are paramount to our ability to live authentically and to survive in our city.”
Beau Jiminez, Dallas resident and GetEQUAL TX member says, “With every delay, Mayor Rawlings and Dallas sends the message to LGBT visitors that they are not welcome in our city”.
In response to repeated delays and recent attacks on LGBT people in the media, GetEQUAL TX has issued the following travel alert for all LGBT people planning travel to Dallas. This extends to families, tourists, meeting planners, convention-goers, business travelers, and all others who might be considering travel to the area. This also includes members of the Republican National Committee 2016 Presidential Nominating Convention planning committee, who Mayor Rawlings is meeting with on March 3, 2014 in an effort to secure Dallas as the location for the convention.
TRAVEL ALERT – Dallas, TEXAS
Effective immediately.
GetEQUAL TX alerts those traveling to Dallas, Texas, of a continued risk of discrimination based upon sexual orientation and/or gender identity. The city of Dallas does not currently protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender (LGBT) people from being legally ejected from their hotel rooms or other places of public accommodation.
Those who are required to travel to Dallas are encouraged to take the following precautions:
Avoid traveling alone in the city.
– Only book travel at hotels which have policies prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
– Visit only known LGBT-friendly establishments, including restaurants, bars and venues (see https://www.glyp.com for a listing of some locations).
– Be aware of your surroundings and adopt other appropriate safety measures to protect yourself while traveling.
GetEQUAL TX will continue to work in order to end discrimination within the city by identifying and taking action against those promoting, encouraging, and engaging in discriminatory behavior. To help us in this endeavor, please feel free contact us at info@getequaltx.org with reports of discrimination.
