While members of the Durham City Council took to Twitter to voice their concerns about Charlotte’s repeal of its nondiscrimination ordinanceand the supposed pending death of HB 2, a member of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen told the INDY that deal apparently struck between legislators and Queen City officials “feels risky.”
Alderman Damon Seils said this afternoon that should HB 2,in fact, be repealed, it perhaps came at too great a cost.
“The fact is, the Charlotte ordinance still held a lot ofsymbolic power,” he says. “The idea that it’s being put up for bargain—something feels off about this.”
Seils says he’s spoken with several membersof the LGBTQ community—specifically, members of the transgender community—who are “kind of in panic mode.”
“Let’s say HB 2 truly is repealed in full. Suddenly, westart getting basketball back, and I think that makes it a lot harder for those of us who would like to see [a legislative push for] protections for the LGBT community,” he says.
He adds that it’s possible he and other members of the Carrboro board would push for an ordinance similar to the one repealed by Charlotte, despite the fact that should HB 2, in fact, get repealed, it would put back into place language in town contracts prohibiting discrimination.
“I would like for Carrboro to do something more,” he says, noting the town’s reputation as a leader in the fight for LGBTQ rights.
