By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Arlington, Texas has removed “gender identity and expression” and “sexual orientation” from its antidiscrimination protections.
Arlington, Texas has removed “gender identity and expression” and “sexual orientation” from its antidiscrimination protections.
A city in Texas has become the first in the nation to reverse existing antidiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people.
The Arlington City Council voted 5-4 Tuesday in favor of a revised ordinance that removes “gender identity and expression” and “sexual orientation” as protected characteristics from the city's anti-discrimination policy. Until now, the rule had shielded LGBTQ+ people against “any direct or indirect exclusion, distinction, segregation, limitation, refusal, denial, or other differentiation in the treatment of a person or persons" in employment, housing, health care, and beyond.
The clause had been temporarily suspended since August due to threats from Donald Trump's administration. Mayor Jim Ross joined councilmembers Nikkie Hunter, Barbara Odom-Wesley, and Andrew Piel in voting in favor of reinstating the ordinance.
"For months, the public was told that the September suspension of Arlington’s Anti-Discrimination Chapter was necessary to protect federal grant funding," a spokesperson for the HELP Center for LGBTQ+ Health said in a statement. "That issue was fully resolved. The revised ordinance presented tonight — drafted by the City Attorney — protected every dollar of federal funds while restoring long-standing safeguards for all Arlington residents: women, men, children, minorities, veterans, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ community."
Related: Texas city delays vote on overturning LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination protections
Trump officials threatened in August to revoke $65 million in federal grant money from the city if it did not remove language related to diversity, equity, and inclusion from its municipal code. Both Arlington and Fort Worth subsequently voted to end their DEI programs and rewrite ordinances to exclude phrases related to race and gender.
Iowa removed gender identity from its state Civil Rights Act in February, making it the first state in the country to take away rights from a group previously protected in law. Arlington's reversal makes it the first individual city to do so.
"By refusing to reinstate the Anti-Discrimination Chapter, these councilmembers knowingly continued to deny all local protections against discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations for everyone in our city," the spokesperson continued. "Every Arlington resident, visitor and worker is now more vulnerable because of this vote. ... What happened tonight was a failure of leadership by five council members. Arlington deserves better than elected officials who hide behind excuses even after every concern they raised was solved."
Charlie Kirk DID say stoning gay people was the 'perfect law' — and these other heinous quotes