175 Mayors begin coalition to fight LGBT discrimination
Mayors from around the country want to stand up for LGBT rights on a municipal level and therefore have launched a bipartisan coalition called “Mayors Against LGBT Discrimination.”
The group serves to provide support and offer resources to the LGBT community as well as protect them from unfair treatment.
The coalition website states:
“Mayors Against LGBT Discrimination is a bipartisan coalition of municipal leaders dedicated to securing inclusive nondiscrimination protections for all, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, at all levels of government. We recognize the special role mayors play in protecting the rights and safety of residents and in advancing policies that move our communities and our country forward.”
The group gathered on Wednesday, January 18, in Washington D.C. where they were participating in pre-inauguration events. At a roundtable, the city officials talked about how they could best protect the LGBT community both on a national and local level.
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee is both one of the co-founders and chairs of the new coalition. He joins Seattle Mayor Ed Murray; DC Mayor Muriel Bowser; and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney.
Locally, Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles, Lauren Meister of West Hollywood, and Robert Garcia of Long Beach are among 22 others representing California.
More than 175 mayors representing 42 states have also joined the cause.
“San Francisco is a stronger city in part due to the invaluable members of our LGBT community,” said Mayor Lee. “The vision for Mayors Against LGBT Discrimination seeks to take the very best of the advancements for equality that have been made in cities such as San Francisco and provide a template to support mayors across the country who want to do what’s right for their constituents, and join the efforts at the national level.”
Now that President Trump has taken over the White House, some in the LGBT community are afraid of what he and his cabinet will do to the community. Deemed the most “Anti-LGBT cabinet in history,” the incoming administration appears to be a formidable force against LGBT rights.
There are still 32 states which fail to protect the LGBT community.
You can see a full list of mayors involved in the Mayors Against LGBT Discrimination by clicking HERE.
