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Today, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, a case that will decide whether sweeping religious exemptions can override local nondiscrimination laws—like Atlanta’s.
At the center of the case is a Colorado bakery that refused to sell a cake to a same-sex couple celebrating their marriage, directly violating Colorado’s nondiscrimination law preventing businesses open to the public from engaging in anti-LGBTQ discrimination.
The stakes in this case are huge. If the case is decided in favor of the bakery, it will implement a nationwide License to Discriminate, where businesses can claim a very broad religious exemption to many local and state laws, including those protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination.
That means cities like Atlanta that currently have LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinances would be unable to enforce them, leaving Georgians even more vulnerable to anti-LGBTQ discrimination and harassment than they already are and threatening Atlanta’s reputation as a safe, welcoming city for LGBTQ people.
It would also throw into limbo our efforts to pass LGBTQ-inclusive civil rights protections statewide. The statute in question in the Masterpiece case is the portion of the state’s public accommodations law prohibiting anti-LGBTQ discrimination by public businesses. That update to the law was passed by the Colorado legislature in 2008 and is similar to the civil rights protections we’re attempting to enact in Georgia.
A ruling in favor of discrimination in the Masterpiece case could also give momentum to lawmakers who support the dangerous religious exemptions legislation that we’ve fought in Georgia for the last several years, and may fight again in 2018.
All of this could happen despite the fact that a growing majority of individuals and businesses in Georgia reject such a License to Discriminate. According to a recent poll from Small Business Majority, 66% of small business owners in Georgia do not think a business should be allowed to deny services to someone who is LGBTQ because of their religious beliefs.
And in March, a poll from the Project Right Side Foundation found that nearly 3 in 4 Georgians (74%) support a comprehensive non-discrimination law to protect LGBT people from discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations.
We’ll dive deeper into the legal analysis and implications for our movement on Wednesday, December 6th at a panel discussion and Q&A session featuring Georgia Equality, the ACLU of Georgia, Faith in Public Life, and Lambda Legal. Similar events we’ve hosted have filled up fast—so don’t wait to reserve your spot.
Georgia Equality will livestream the event on their Facebook page if you’re unable to join the discussion live in Atlanta.
And in preparation of the next legislative session, we’re working to expand our coalition of local business owners who support LGBTQ-inclusive civil rights laws. If that describes you—or someone you know—sign our business pledge and someone will reach out with more information.
On September 7 of this year, multi-billion dollar retailer Amazon announced plans to open a second headquarters, known informally as HQ2, outside of their main campus in Seattle, Washington.
Since then, cities and states across the country have been frenzied in pitching themselves to the company as a prime option for real estate, investment, and workforce. With the high likelihood that Amazon will seek to locate this new headquarters on or near the East Coast, Atlanta has become the focus of Georgia’s effort to woo the company into calling the Peach State its second home.
Wherever HQ2 ends up, economies at the city and state level will experience a significant boon. Amazon’s initial investment could total as much as $5 billion, with tax credits nearing $850 million and the creation of more than 50,000 new jobs. However, among the many requirements Amazon has regarding its new location is a commitment to diversity and inclusion, a topic that Georgia has not traditionally led on, particularly in the last couple of years regarding the LGBTQ community.
In 2016, legislators in Georgia presented HB 757, known as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which supporters claimed would have protected the sincerely held religious beliefs of business owners by allowing them to deny services to LGBTQ people and offering no recourse for those discriminated against.
Opponents called the legislation what is was: state sanctioned anti-LGBTQ discrimination that would adversely affect Georgia’s economy. Despite heavy protest from the LGBTQ community and the larger Georgia business community, the bill passed through the General Assembly and went to Governor Nathan Deal’s desk for signature.
However, defying the legislature, Deal vetoed the bill, saying, “I have yet to see a factual justification for it in the state of Georgia. I do not know of a single instance where having a statute of that type would have changed the circumstances in any situation in our state.”
Governor Deal, in his veto, likely looked at the consequences faced earlier by states who had passed anti-LGBTQ legislation to the tune of public outcry and severe economic consequences. Indiana pushed through the bill that was the model for Georgia’s, signed at the time by then-Governor Mike Pence. When major conventions and investments began to pull resources from the state, and official government travel to Indiana was suspended by dozens of cities and states nationwide, the Indiana legislature repealed the law.
However, the most significant case of harms caused by discriminating against the LGBTQ community came in the form of HB2 in North Carolina. Although the bill did not deal with religious discrimination, it did explicitly seek to bar transgender individuals from using public accommodations that match the gender they know themselves to be, and it was described as one of the most anti-LGBTQ pieces of legislation to ever be put into law.
Backlash was immediate; entertainers pulled their concerts and events from the state, major companies like PayPal and Deutsche Bank canceled plans for expansion, and sports organizations such as the NCAA and the NBA withdrew their agreements to host tournaments and games in the state. All in all, North Carolina lost upwards of $600 million in economic investment and growth, not to mention thousands of jobs and its reputation. The outcry even led to the ouster of Governor Pat McCrory, who lost his bid for re-election last year.
We already know the economic consequences that Georgia faces without comprehensive non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people. In January 2017, UCLA’s Williams Institute released a report detailing how, “stigma and discrimination have been linked to negative economic impacts.” According to the report:
On November 3, Governor Deal hosted an event where he unveiled that Georgia once again was declared the No. 1 state for business, based largely on its tourism dollars, with industry revenue in the last year near $3.1 billion and employment at 450,000 workers.
The state has successes to be proud of, and by passing comprehensive non-discrimination protections, we will continue to improve our standing as a great place to live and work. The selection of HQ2’s location is another “Olympic moment” for Georgia, and to attract the best in business, we must unequivocally state that we are open for business to everyone.
Do you believe in nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people? Click here to sign our pledge!
In Georgia, we’ve had an eventful year with a lot to be thankful for in the realm of LGBTQ advocacy.
In March, we finished out the 2017 legislative session having successfully fended off several anti-LGBTQ bills. The most pressing threat was Senate Bill 233, the same style of RFRA bill that caused an outcry from business, faith and other advocacy groups in 2016, and that Governor Deal vetoed.
That bill, thankfully, did not advance through the Senate. Late in the session, however, anti-LGBTQ extremists attempted several times to add RFRA language to unrelated pieces of legislation, including a very important adoption bill, House Bill 159.
Georgia’s adoption laws have not been updated since 1990, and although 12,000+ children in our adoption and foster care system are in desperate need of loving homes, lawmakers gaveled out without advancing an adoption bill without discriminatory amendments.
That’s a sobering thing to read on a day that we give thanks for the good in our lives, and we are committed to working with child welfare advocates to pass adoption legislation in 2018.
But 2017 wasn’t all about defeating bad bills. In February, we saw the introduction of Georgia’s first-ever comprehensive, LGBTQ-inclusive civil rights legislation, Senate Bill 119. Later in the month, House lawmakers introduced two companion bills: House Resolution 404, a bipartisan bill that would create a committee to study the need for an updated civil rights law, and House Bill 488 which, like SB 119, would write comprehensive, LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination protections into state law.
If passed, these bills would ensure no Georgian can be fired, evicted or denied service in public places like parks, restaurants and retail shops because of their race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. All three of these bills are still up for consideration in 2018, and we will be working from day one to advance them.
Our thankfulness extends beyond the Gold Dome too, to the extraordinary wave of advocacy at the local level.
In May, the Macon-Bibb County Commission became the 63rd municipal entity in Georgia to extend non-discrimination protections to gay and transgender public employees. And in October, for the 5th year in a row, Atlanta received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index, which highlights the ways that local governments step in to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination when the state and federal government fall short.
Local activism has been especially strong for transgender youth. Earlier in the fall, the Decatur school district faced an effort to weaken its policies protecting transgender students from discrimination. But the local community rallied, sending nearly 1,000 letters of support to local school board members defending the policy and standing up for students.
And Bennett’s Project, an ongoing effort to collect open letters of support for transgender youth, has so far collected more than 250 notes from communities across the state. It’s also garnered endorsements from some of Georgia’s most prominent LGBTQ elected officials, including Decatur Rep. Renitta Shannon, and newly elected Doraville councilwoman Stephe Koontz.
This outpouring of advocacy, from the legislature to local cities, towns, and school districts, is truly something to give thanks for this week.
But while you’re giving thanks, don’t forget to take stock of the work that still needs to be done in 2018—and help us do that work by joining our campaign to ensure LGBTQ Georgians are protected from discrimination.
On Tuesday, November 7th, Stephe Koontz was elected to represent District 3 on the Doraville City Council, becoming the only openly transgender elected official in Georgia. She ran for office, partly, because she wanted transgender youth to have a role model. Now, she’s signing on to Bennett’s Project to further amplify her support for transgender youth.
Read her letter below:
When I first considered running for office, I hit a wall of doubt.
A lot of people, even my friends, thought I would be unelectable because I am transgender. I also had my own doubts, which is why it took me 10 years to gather the courage to run.
This year I knew I couldn’t wait any longer. So I ran for city council in my hometown of Doraville—and I won, becoming the only openly transgender elected official in Georgia.
I ran because I thought I could best represent the values we care about in my community. But I also wanted transgender youth to have a role model—to know that there is a future for them, and not one where they have to hide who they are.
Now, I’m reaching out about something you can do to make sure transgender youth feel accepted in your community: Join Bennett’s Project and write a short open note of support for transgender youth.
This week, communities across the country recognized Transgender Awareness Week, a time for calling attention to the challenges transgender people face, including discrimination. So it’s an opportune time to reach out to transgender youth through Bennett’s Project.
But we have to continue this advocacy always. The fact is, a national backlash against the ideas that we value in my community—like diversity and inclusivity—is brewing, and it’s coming for transgender people, especially transgender youth. There have even been attempts, in some communities in Georgia, to roll back school policies that protect them from discrimination.
For so long, I thought I could never be elected to public office as my authentic self. But now, my friends and neighbors have placed their trust in me, because of who I am—not in spite of it.
Transgender youth across Georgia need to hear this message of acceptance loud and clear.
Thanks,
Stephe Koontz,
Councilwoman-elect, Doraville
Since kicking off Bennett’s Project statewide one month ago, we’ve collected more than 250 letters of support for transgender youth from communities across Georgia.
These include letters from prominent community members, including elected officials and faith leaders, as well as letters from transgender youth themselves, parents of transgender children and allies working to make transgender people feel welcome in their communities.
Today, we’re wrapping up Transgender Awareness Week—a time dedicated to raising trans visibility and sharing trans stories—by sharing some of the letters of support we’ve received for transgender youth.
Last Tuesday, Stephe Koontz won her race for a seat on the Doraville City Council by just 6 votes. It was a historic victory. With that win, Stephe became the only openly transgender elected official in the entire state.
Now, she’s excited to get to work representing her community, including serving as a role model for young transgender people.
“I ran because I thought I could best represent the values we care about in my community. But I also wanted transgender youth to have a role model—to know that there is a future for them, and not one where they have to hide who they are.”
“I ran because I thought I could best represent the values we care about in my community,” she says. “But I also wanted transgender youth to have a role model—to know that there is a future for them, and not one where they have to hide who they are.”
Kim Sorrells says being transgender and a person of faith are often presented as diametrically opposed. That, Kim says, simply is not true—and they are living proof.
At its core, Kim says, their faith is one that requires loving and working toward justice for all people, especially “the outcasts and the oppressed,” which far too frequently includes transgender youth.
“I believe that my faith calls me to work for policies that protect students from bullying, and ensure them the right to be themselves in schools—to use their correct name, pronouns and the correct locker rooms or restrooms.”
As a pastor, Kim is calling on people of faith to “live into that teaching” by working to ensure that LGBTQ people have the rights and protections needed to simply live and thrive as everyone else does.
“I believe that my faith calls me to work for policies that protect students from bullying, and ensure them the right to be themselves in schools—to use their correct name, pronouns and the correct locker rooms or restrooms.”
Amanda Dewis is a mother of three, including a 7-year-old daughter who is transgender. She says she makes it a point to tell each of her children—often—to never think that they are “anything less than perfect inside and out.”
She wants them to grow up in a world that sees their intellect and action as the test of their character, and her “heart breaks” for transgender youth who have been made to feel like they need to be someone or something different to fit in. That’s why she’s sending a note to all of Georgia’s transgender youth through Bennett’s Project.
“Beautiful and precious child, I am so proud of your courage and ability to do something many adults can’t even do: Be true to yourself! You are amazing, inspirational, and wonderfully made inside and out! Don’t ever forget how much God loves you exactly as you are.” —Amanda Dewis
Representative Shannon signed on to Bennett’s project after there was an attempt made in her hometown of Decatur to weaken school policies that protect transgender students from discrimination.
“Like Bennett, I’ve been disturbed by the untrue things said about transgender people,” she says. “I’m especially troubled by efforts to weaken policies that protect transgender youth in the place they should feel the most safe—in school.”
“Like Bennett, I’ve been disturbed by the untrue things said about transgender people. I’m especially troubled by efforts to weaken policies that protect transgender youth in the place they should feel the most safe—in school.”
Rep. Shannon says that in the end, the school board stood behind these protections because community members spoke out, submitting nearly 1,000 letters of support. As other communities face pushback on similar policies, we must all start speaking out for trans youth.
Reverend Knox is a long-time leader at the intersection of faith and the movement for LGBTQ equality.
He has served as an advisor on faith-based matters for organizations and institutions ranging from the Human Rights Campaign to the White House Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and Integrity USA, and organization dedicated to fostering greater inclusion of LGBTQ people in the Episcopal Church. He’s now the president and chief executive officer of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.
“Dear fabulous trans young person: You are made in God’s marvelous, evermore revealing image. You are beautiful inside and out and you are loved at my house.”
For Transgender Awareness Week and Transgender Day of Remembrance, he has a clear, faith-based message for transgender youth everywhere:
“Dear fabulous trans young person: You are made in God’s marvelous, evermore revealing image. You are beautiful inside and out and you are loved at my house.”
Most of the submissions to Bennett’s Project have been from ordinary individuals who simply want to foster a welcoming, accepting atmosphere for transgender youth in their communities. Read a sampling of these letters below, and take them as inspiration for submitting your own open letter of support for trans youth through Bennett’s Project.
Today, Rep. Renitta Shannon publicly declared her support for Bennett’s Project and urged Georgians across the state to show their support for transgender youth by writing their own letters. Her full letter is posted below:
Right now, anti-LGBTQ forces across the country are working hard to roll back protections for our community—including right here in Georgia.
That’s why I recently started speaking out publicly about my experiences as a black, bisexual woman. It’s also why, when I heard about Bennett’s effort to collect supportive notes for transgender youth, I knew I needed to use my voice to amplify his project.
Like Bennett, I’ve been disturbed by the untrue things said about transgender people. I’m especially troubled by efforts to weaken policies that protect transgender youth in the place they should feel the most safe—in school.
Transgender youth, like all of our young people, deserve to feel safe, loved and supported. You can help spread this message across Georgia by writing your own note of support to transgender youth with Bennett’s Project.
Recently, there was an attempt made in my hometown of Decatur to weaken school policies that protect transgender students from discrimination.
“Unfortunately, other communities across the state are facing pushback on these school policies [that protect transgender youth from discrimination]. And with national forces determined to roll them back, this fight could get bigger—fast.”
But the school board stood strong behind these protections and their transgender students because community members came to their defense. They testified publicly and submitted nearly a thousand letters of support for the district’s transgender-inclusive policies. That is the power of speaking out.
Unfortunately, other communities across the state are facing pushback on these school policies. And with national forces determined to roll them back, this fight could get bigger—fast.
That’s why I’m asking you to join me: Send a note with Bennett’s Project that lets transgender youth across Georgia know they are not alone, and that we are fighting for them.
@GeorgiaUnitesWe were so grateful to be able to profile Rachel last year. Her story is inspiring and it's sad to see her treated unfairly. Thank you Rachel for standing up for yourself! bit.ly/2VTK7j3