‘Right thing to do.’ In historic vote, Charlotte expands LGBTQ protections

On Monday, Charlotte’s City Council unanimously voted in favor of a nondiscrimination  ordinance that would establish protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, natural hairstyle and more. 

The expansion of protections marks Charlotte as the tenth North Carolina community to pass a nondiscrimination ordinance. This comes after 5 years since the state blocked Charlotte’s expansion to its nondiscrimination ordinance with the discriminatory legislation, House Bill 2.

• In 2016, Charlotte’s City Council voted to expand its nondiscrimination ordinance to include LGBTQ+ protections but those protections were challenged by Republican legislators through the controversial HB2.
  
• After statewide and national outcry, HB2 was repealed and replaced with House Bill 142, which still prevented North Carolina cities from passing their own protective ordinances and nullified Charlotte’s vote.
  
• In December, the limitations on municipalities expired, giving multiple cities and towns across the state an opportunity to  adopt their own nondiscrimination laws. As of now, Apex, Asheville, Buncombe County, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, Greensboro, Hillsborough, Orange County, and Charlotte have passed protections for natural hair, sexual orientation, and gender identity. 

Five years since the passage of HB2, North Carolinians across the state are taking a stand towards expanding protections for the most vulnerable members of our communities.

Through the continued passage of LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination ordiances, communities are ensuring that all North Carolinians have the right to dignity, equality, and fairness, no matter who they are.