Friends –

It’s official – LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections have been passed in the city of Raleigh and Wake County, the most populous county in the state. In the words of Wake County Commission Chair Matt Calabria, “Making North Carolina’s cities and the counties more inclusive and welcoming is not just the right thing to do, it’s also the smart thing to do.” 

That means that North Carolinians in 15 different counties and cities are protected locally from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, natural hairstyle, and other characteristics. To everyone who has offered a public comment or engaged on this issue through the NC is Ready effort that we co-lead with Equality NC, THANK YOU.

Now, we have to keep pushing forward. Millions of residents in North Carolina and across the South remain unprotected by local ordinances – and the fastest way to ensure no one is left vulnerable is by passing the Equality Act, federal legislation now pending in the U.S. Senate. Can you please message your Senators now and urge them to vote YES on this critical nondiscrimination legislation?

It’s a known fact that Americans overwhelmingly support laws explicitly protecting the LGBTQ community from discrimination. The NC is Ready campaign has been about illustrating that reality right here in North Carolina, but cities and towns in West Virginia, Florida, Georgia and beyond have also passed recent nondiscrimination ordinances. That’s a huge step toward reimagining a safer and more welcoming South. These local steps forward help us imagine what’s possible across the South. 

Still, these latest victories don’t negate a harsh reality. In the South, your rights as an LGBTQ person can literally change by the zip code you drive through. We need to make sure that no matter where you live, you are treated fairly and respectfully. 

LGBTQ Southerners deserve protections from discrimination – they’re long overdue, and the quickest way toward justice is a federal bill that gets us all on the same page. Join us in supporting the Equality Act and urge your U.S. Senators to do the right thing by voting yes. 

Thank you,
Adam Polaski
Campaign for Southern Equality