Monday, Aug. 9, 2021
Charlotte City Council is scheduled to vote on a new nondiscrimination ordinance Monday. This ordinance will provide legal protection for the LGBTQ community and people who wear natural, textured hairstyles — meaning any hair texture, color or type of style historically associated with race or national origin.
The proposal would also ban businesses with fewer than 15 people from discriminating against any employee or prospective hire based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
This has been a long-awaited step after five years without local LGBTQ protections. City Council expanded its existing nondiscrimination ordinance in 2016 to include LGBTQ protections, but this prompted backlash which came in the form of House Bill 2 from the North Carolina state legislature. After national outrage, the state repealed HB2 and replaced it with House Bill 142.
We'll take a deeper look to see how this new ordinance will affect Charlotte, how it would affect small businesses, and how this would affect the LGBTQ community.
Guests:
Patrick Baker, Charlotte city attorney
Julie Eiselt, mayor pro tem
Larken Egleston, Charlotte City Council member
Daniel Valdez, president of Charlotte Pride
