HRC Blog

In this guest post, Allyson Robinson, HRC's associate director of diversity, responds to the AP's coverage of anti-LGBT conservatives reacting hysterically after Gainesville, Florida commissioners passed an ordinance to provide additional protections for transgender people. In a story that went out on the national wire on January 9, the Associated Press made the irresponsible claim that a non-discrimination ordinance that protects transgender people in Gainesville, Florida made it legal for sexual predators to enter women’s restrooms. The story begins:

A blond girl heads from a playground into a women's restroom. A scruffy man, lurking outside, darts in behind her. "Your City Commission Made This Legal," the words on the TV screen read. And it's true, sort of.

While researching the story, I noticed something interesting.  The line, “And it’s true, sort of,” wasn’t in some versions of the story reprinted by news agencies around the country.  I phoned Ron Word, the writer, to trace where the line originated.  Mr. Word told me the version of the story he originally submitted did not include the line—that it was added by an editor before the story went out on the wire.  A later editor, in coordination with Word, decided to pull the line from the story, but not before it had appeared in print and online all over the country. Of course, it is categorically false that Gainesville’s non-discrimination ordinance legalizes sexual predation in public restrooms, and that’s the real story Word and the AP missed.  Opponents of civil rights for LGBT people, who ran a successful petition drive that will bring the ordinance before voters in a special election on March 24th, are lying to the people of Gainesville to advance their agenda—and if they succeed, it won’t just be transgender people who suffer. The charter amendment being brought forward by the ironically named opposition group Citizens for Good Public Policy would not only undo the desperately needed gender-identity-based protections enacted by the Gainesville City Council last year; it would also eliminate long-standing protections based on sexual orientation as well.  The opposition wants to reclaim the right to discriminate against all LGBT people, and they’re making malicious claims against the transgender community to do it. The opposition wants voters to think that laws prohibiting discrimination against transgender people endanger public safety.  The trouble is that data from the 108 other cities and counties nationwide that have such laws in place proves otherwise.  Not a single one of these locales reported any rise in violent crime in public restrooms or other accommodations after enacting non-discrimination laws.  Nor has there been a rise in any of the 13 states or the District of Colombia that have similar laws on the books. That truth doesn’t do much to advance the opposition’s discriminatory agenda, so Citizens for Good Public Policy has to rely on scaremongering to scare up votes for their charter amendment—a tactic the original AP story tacitly endorsed. With an electorate that increasingly sees non-discrimination protections for LGBT people as helping guarantee basic civil rights for all, fallacious appeals to public safety have become the opposition’s final toehold on the moral high ground.  Helping voters better understand their transgender neighbors can and will take that away from them.  Of course, greater responsibility on the part of the AP wouldn’t hurt, either. ****************************

Help Protect Equality in Gainesville, Florida!

On Sunday, January 18, the Human Rights Campaign will host a fundraiser to benefit Equality is Gainesville’s Business, the organization fighting to defeat a dangerous ballot measure aimed directly at the LGBT community. In a March 24 special election, voters will decide whether to roll back these existing protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.  The measure would also limit Gainesville’s ability to protect its citizens from other discrimination. Michelle Ott and Bob Karp of Equality is Gainesville's Business will give a briefing on where things stand with the campaign, and HRC State Legislative Director Chris Edelson will discuss why HRC is so concerned about this measure, which could set a very dangerous precedent for rolling back basic civil rights in other places around the country. We are also anticipating that elected officials from the Gainesville City Commission who support keeping the protections will attend. The opposition in Gainesville is well-funded and is using its resources to spread disinformation and fear.  We need to make sure the message of basic fairness for all gets to the voters in Gainesville. It will take hard work as well as money. Come stand up for equality and show your support for the community in Gainesville! Where: Human Rights Campaign National Headquarters’ Equality Center Location: 1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 Time: 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Suggested donation: $50 at the door. Proceeds will go directly to Equality is Gainesville's Business For questions and to RSVP: chris.edelson@hrc.org

Legal Disclaimer: Paid Political Advertisement sponsored and paid for in-kind by Human Rights Campaign, 1640 Rhode Island Ave. NW, Washington DC 20036.  Approved by Equality is Gainesville’s Business PO Box 40, Gainesville FL 32602.  The purchase of a ticket for, or a contribution to this campaign fundraiser, is a contribution to the campaign of Equality Is Gainesville's Business.