“As the mother of a lesbian daughter, I strongly believe that no one in Georgia should face discrimination. And, as a state, we shouldn’t be turning away any qualified, hardworking people,” said Atlanta’s Elida Baverman.

Recently, Elida’s daughter relocated for an exciting new job, but her mother couldn’t help but worry, “When she told me about it, the first thing I asked was, ‘Do they know you’re gay?’ Because, I could just imagine her uprooting her whole life and moving there and getting fired on her first day,” she said. Fortunately, Elida’s daughter was in a state where it’s illegal to fire someone just for being gay or transgender.

Sadly, that nightmare could be a reality today in Georgia. That’s why Elida so strongly supports legislation that would protect LGBT Georgians from discrimination.

As a realtor, Elida knows that when families are considering a move, whether or not they feel welcome is a big factor.

“We need to be working to attract top talent from around the country, and to do that people need to know that Georgia is a welcoming state. People want to know that they’re being judged on their merit, on their ability to do the job, not on who they love or what their family looks like,” said Baverman.

Currently, Elida’s daughter has a great job in another state. But, like most mothers, Elida hopes that someday her family will be closer to Atlanta, where she was born and raised.

“Obviously, a big factor for her and other people considering this move is whether they can live here and be safe in their jobs and in their communities, if they can live without discrimination,” Elida said.

Speaking with motherly pride, Elida pointed out what a loss it is for the state not to be able to attract employees like her daughter.

“It’s a big loss, obviously; not just to our family but to the businesses she could help with her work. I’m hopeful that Georgia will take steps this year to right this wrong so that all families can live and work safely in our state,” she said.

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