A proposal to remove all mentions of gender identity and sexual orientation from Arlington鈥檚 anti-discrimination ordinance was delayed for a second time.
Mayor Jim Ross told staff at the Oct. 14 council meeting that he wanted them to have more time to evaluate the potential effects of adjusting the ordinance.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important that we remain compliant with federal directives to protect receipt of federal funds and not subject the city to liability,鈥� Ross said at the meeting. 鈥淗owever, we must balance the need to make modifications with the need to ensure that every single member of our community feels welcome, protected, respected and is treated with dignity.鈥�
Since the beginning of September, Arlington council members have made sweeping changes to programs and city jobs they feared put because of federal directives against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Other cities, including Fort Worth, have made .
Ahead of Tuesday鈥檚 meeting, a line of people led into the council chambers, and about 40 people from across the Arlington area spoke out against the proposed changes.
DeeJay Johannessen, CEO of HELP Center for LGBTQ Health and Wellness, said city officials misinterpreted sources cited in a and did not need to make the changes.
The report notes that the removal of mentions of gender identity and sexual orientation were made to comply with recommendations from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, new state laws and federal court rulings.
鈥淚 want to be very clear tonight that there is no legal reason, none, to make these changes,鈥� Johanessen told the council.
State Rep. Salman Bohjani, D-Euless, sent a statement urging council members to reject the changes. The statement was read to the council by Zak Borja, the district director for Bohjani, who represents parts of Arlington.
鈥淭his amendment rolls back protections for LGBTQ residents,鈥� Bohjani鈥檚 statement read. 鈥淚t targets people who already face discrimination, people who are simply trying to live openly and safely in the place they call home.鈥�
The city鈥檚 was unanimously approved in 2021. It allows the city to sue on the basis of discrimination against protected classes in housing, employment and public accommodations.
Arlington council members suspended the ordinance Sept. 9 to protect the city鈥檚 federal funding as staff evaluated what changes needed to be made. The code returned to the council鈥檚 agenda on Sept. 16 alongside changes to DEI-related programs and positions.
Arlington City Council on changing the anti-discrimination code to examine potential effects.
Council members Rebecca Boxall and Barbara Odom-Wesley voted against delaying a decision.
Boxall said the process had taken long enough though she said she did not know which way she would have voted on removing the LGBTQ-related references.
Odom-Wesley said she was ready to vote against the changes.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to see our city lose the money, but like several speakers said, in my mind, some things are more important than money,鈥� Odom-Wesley told the Arlington Report.
Council member Nikkie Hunter said she also wanted more time but would have voted no to the amendment.
鈥淚鈥檓 not going to vote for something that does not protect every single citizen in the city of Arlington as an elected official,鈥� Hunter told the Report Oct. 15. 鈥淭hat is my job, that is my duty and I want equal rights for all as a human.鈥�
Ross said he expects the next discussion and first vote on the changes at the Nov. 18 council meeting.
Chris Moss is a reporting fellow for the Arlington Report. Contact him at chris.moss@fortworthreport.org.
At the Arlington Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy .
This first appeared on and is republished here under a .