As we honor this year’s National Coming Out Day, October 11th,  let us not forget what it has taken for us to come this far.

In 1966 there was the Compton Cafeteria Riots.  Transgender women stood up against police brutality and discrimination in the San Francisco Tenderloin District.  Today, the Tenderloin District is home to the first and only legally recognized transgender district in the world.

In 1969, while people were sharing love in the countryside of New York, down in the city the Stonewall Riots were happening.  LGBT people were fighting the police for their lives, respect, and dignity.  The nation caught on, sparking liberty marches that have led to the PRIDE Day parades we celebrate today.

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With the procedural changes in Georgia’s recent election law, Georgians may be unsure of what voting looks like this year versus last year. Especially regarding absentee ballots, as they were such a pivotal tool in last year’s election and hold strong interest due to the ongoing COVID pandemic. 

Georgia runs under a Request-Required, Mail-In Ballot absentee ballot system. This means the VOTER MUST MAKE THE REQUEST for an absentee ballot. The absentee ballot will not be sent to the voter otherwise.

 

For this upcoming election on November 2nd, you must have been registered to vote prior to October 4th. 

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Fulton County’s first openly LGBTQ commissioner, an advocate for LGBTQ rights, and a fighter in the movement to end HIV/AIDS; Joan Garner was it. As a leader in her community, Garner laid a path for younger activists, and a new level of civic engagement to come. 

On August 30, 2021, the Ponce de Leon library in Atlanta, GA was renamed the Joan P. Garner Library, honoring the legacy of someone whose dedication to equality and civil rights led her community towards growth and tangible change.  

Charles Stephens, founder and Executive Director of The Counter Narrative Project, a nonprofit working to “…shift narratives about Black gay men to change policy and improve lives.”, wanted the library and its renaming to “…serve as a space to commemorate the legacy of Joan Garner and also serve as a reminder of the example she set. An example of service. An example of leadership. An example of commitment. An example of grace. I also hope this library will serve as a love letter to the Black LGBTQ community…”.  

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Georgia has no state laws that prevent private employers from discriminating based on an employee’s race or religion. Georgia has no law preventing landowners from refusing rent or sale to our citizens based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Currently, the only path for someone to resolve an issue of discrimination is to file a costly and time-consuming nondiscrimination federal lawsuit. But passing a comprehensive state law that offers protections for all citizens has proven to be quite tricky. Still, many cities across the state are adopting nondiscrimination ordinances (NDO) to help close some gaps between federal and state laws. 

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