Nashville considers sexual orientation ordinance - Out & About ...
Nashville considers sexual orientation ordinance - Out & About ...
Nashville considers sexual orientation ordinance - Out & About ...
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2 • OUT & ABOUT NASHVILLE • JANUARY, 2003<br />
O&AN<br />
NEWS<br />
Proposed <strong>ordinance</strong> continued from page 1<br />
Against moral beliefs<br />
Two council members, Tony<br />
Derryberry and Carolyn Baldwin Tucker,<br />
have expressed opposition, with one condemning<br />
homo<strong>sexual</strong>ity. Seven council<br />
members have signed on as sponsors of<br />
the bill, including Eileen Beeham, Chris<br />
Ferrell, Ginger Hauser, Lawrence Hall,<br />
Jr., Melvin Black, Edward Whitmore and<br />
Ludye Wallace.<br />
"It’s just one more step to condoning<br />
what we got out there now," said<br />
Councilman Tony Derryberry, as quoted<br />
in an article that appeared in the<br />
Tennessean.<br />
Derryberry, who represents the 13th<br />
council district, also said homo<strong>sexual</strong>ity<br />
is against his moral beliefs.<br />
Carolyn Baldwin Tucker, an at-largecouncilmember<br />
said she voted against<br />
the proposal because she felt the city<br />
would be moving in unchartered territory<br />
"The federal government has not chosen<br />
to address this issue, and neither has<br />
the state," Tucker said.<br />
A bill before Congress, the<br />
Employment Non-Discrimination Act,<br />
would address issues related to <strong>sexual</strong><br />
<strong>orientation</strong> but not those directly related<br />
to fair housing.<br />
Marty Sewell, a local city planner and<br />
vice president of <strong>Nashville</strong> Pride, said<br />
there were more than 200 cities that have<br />
already adopted similar laws.<br />
"There are more than 40 federal agencies<br />
that include <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>orientation</strong> in<br />
their non-discrimination policy including<br />
the United States Postal Service and the<br />
Executive Office of the President,"<br />
Sewell said. "There are more than 200<br />
cities and local governments that have<br />
this language in non-discrimination policies<br />
and 23 states."<br />
Sewell stressed the importance of<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong> adding the clause to show it<br />
values all of its citizens.<br />
"Research now shows that high tech<br />
jobs and creative people (gay and<br />
straight) seek places that, among other<br />
things, promote tolerance toward GLBT<br />
people. This <strong>ordinance</strong> is one step down<br />
a long path for <strong>Nashville</strong> to show those<br />
who may want to move here that our city<br />
doesn’t stand for discrimination of any<br />
kind. It sends the message that in<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, we value the talents and contributions<br />
of all of our citizens. It’s an<br />
opportunity for our city leaders to show<br />
that we’re a progressive, forward thinking<br />
city that continues to move beyond<br />
just being the town where they filmed<br />
Hee Haw."<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong> would join Maryville,<br />
Tennessee as the only city in Tennessee<br />
that offers such protection. It would also<br />
join a host of local companies that offer<br />
such protection, including Vanderbilt<br />
Medical Center, Vanderbilt University,<br />
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store,<br />
Bridgestone-Firestone, Bass, Berry &<br />
Sims, PLC, Dollar General Corporation,<br />
Middle Tennessee State University,<br />
Northern Telecom, Volunteer State<br />
Community College and Austin Peay<br />
State University.<br />
Keeping with the spirit of the law<br />
Carlton Cornett, who ran in the recent<br />
5th district Congressional race but lost to<br />
Jim Cooper, said he was at a loss as to<br />
why people would raise objections to the<br />
proposal.<br />
"All people need to be treated equally<br />
and fairly," he said. "The proposed<br />
changes to the current law seem to be<br />
keeping in with the spirit of that law."<br />
Tracey McCartney, Executive Director<br />
of the Tennessee Fair Housing Council,<br />
echoed Cornett’s comments. The Council<br />
is a private, non-profit organization<br />
whose mission is to fight housing discrimination<br />
through public education and<br />
enforcement.<br />
"The addition of <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>orientation</strong><br />
will send a message that <strong>Nashville</strong> is<br />
willing to go above and beyond state and<br />
federal law," she said. "It would tell<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>’s GLBT community that the<br />
city stands for fairness and believes that<br />
ability to pay rent or perform job duties<br />
are far more important criteria than<br />
someone’s <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>orientation</strong>."<br />
If implemented, McCartney said her<br />
agency could investigate a complaint, but<br />
could not make official findings of discrimination<br />
or order any kind of relief.<br />
"If we find the complaint meritorious<br />
we could represent the complainant in an<br />
official proceeding," she said. "That<br />
process would be before the Metro<br />
Human Rights Commission."<br />
While no factual numbers exist for<br />
this type of discrimination in housing,<br />
McCartney said her agency receives several<br />
complaints a year.<br />
"I know we get three or four calls a<br />
year from people inquiring about<br />
whether they have any way to pursue a<br />
complaint like this, and unfortunately<br />
we’ve always had to tell them that no law<br />
covers <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>orientation</strong>," she explained.<br />
"And I always get asked about it when<br />
I’m training apartment managers, real<br />
estate agents and others in the housing<br />
industry."<br />
McCartney said this type of discrimination<br />
was difficult to track, because<br />
much of it goes unreported.<br />
"My staff attorney was telling me the<br />
other day that she figures a lot of this<br />
kind of discrimination goes unreported,"<br />
she said. "Word has spread through the<br />
gay community that there’s no law under<br />
which one can pursue a complaint." �<br />
Council member map and<br />
contact information<br />
VICE MAYOR<br />
Howard Gentry, Jr.<br />
hgentry@metro.nashville.org<br />
3502 Geneva Circle<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37209<br />
H: (615) 320-6080<br />
W: (615) 880-3357<br />
COUNCIL MEMBERS<br />
AT LARGE<br />
Chris Ferrell<br />
cferrell@metro.nashville.org<br />
905 Tower Place<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37204<br />
H: (615) 297-7286<br />
W: (615) 846-2222<br />
Leo Waters<br />
lwaters@metro.nashville.org<br />
518 Monroe Street<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37208<br />
W: (615) 749-8375<br />
H: (615) 255-7325<br />
David Briley<br />
dbriley@metro.nashville.org<br />
1902 Boscobel Street<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37206<br />
W: (615) 259-9344<br />
H: (615) 228-9837<br />
Carolyn Baldwin Tucker<br />
ctucker@metro.nashville.org<br />
1521 Naples Avenue<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37207<br />
H: (615) 868-4060<br />
COUNCIL MEMBERS<br />
(1) Brenda Gilmore<br />
bgilmore@metro.nashville.org<br />
3009 Vista Valley Court<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37218<br />
H: (615) 876-3665<br />
(2) Melvin Black<br />
mblack@metro.nashville.org<br />
747 Work Drive<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37207<br />
H: (615) 876-6340<br />
(3) Ron Nollner<br />
rnollner@metro.nashville.org<br />
604 Vanoke Drive<br />
Madison, TN 37115<br />
H: (615) 865-4533<br />
(4) Don Majors<br />
dmajors@metro.nashville.org<br />
3313 Leondale Terrace<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37207<br />
H: (615) 228-7779<br />
(5) Lawrence Hall<br />
lhall@metro.nashville.org<br />
704 Laurent Street<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37206<br />
H: (615) 227-1180<br />
(6) Eileen Beehan<br />
ebeehan@metro.nashville.org<br />
614 Fatherland Street<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37206<br />
H: (615) 259-4290<br />
(7) Earl Campbell<br />
ecampbell@metro.nashville.org<br />
1931 Valley Park Drive<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37216<br />
W: (615) 749-8342<br />
H: (615) 227-5458<br />
(8) Lawrence Hart<br />
lhart@metro.nashville.org<br />
1023 Maplewood Lane<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37216<br />
W: (615) 226-2600<br />
H: (615) 262-8894<br />
(9) James Dillard<br />
jdillard@metro.nashville.org<br />
1550 Hudson Road<br />
Madison, TN 37115<br />
W: (615) 749-8344<br />
H: (615) 868-8898<br />
(10) Bettye Balthrop<br />
bbalthrop@metro.nashville.org<br />
111 Asbee Court<br />
Goodlettsville, TN 37072<br />
H: (615) 859-1433<br />
(11) Feller Brown<br />
fbrown@metro.nashville.org<br />
516 Keeton Avenue<br />
Old Hickory, TN 37138<br />
W: (615) 868-1223<br />
H: (615) 847-3958<br />
(12) Phil Ponder<br />
pponder@metro.nashville.org<br />
4120 Andrew Jackson Parkway<br />
Hermitage, TN 37076<br />
H: (615) 883-5149<br />
(13) Tony Derryberry<br />
tderryberry@metro.nashville.org<br />
518 Dunailie Drive<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37217<br />
H: (615) 366-7555<br />
(14) James Bruce Stanley<br />
bstanley@metro.nashville.org<br />
3211 Downey Meade Court<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37214<br />
H: (615) 889-6697<br />
(15) J.B. Loring<br />
jloring@metro.nashville.org<br />
3231 Knobview Drive<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37214<br />
H: (615) 885-0780<br />
(16) Amanda McClendon<br />
amcclendon@metro.nashville.org<br />
3105 Wingate Avenue<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37211<br />
H: (615) 333-8917<br />
(17) Ronnie Greer<br />
rgreer@metro.nashville.org<br />
2038 Elliott Avenue<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37204<br />
H: (615) 385-2893<br />
(18) Ginger Hausser<br />
ghausser@metro.nashville.org<br />
521 Chesterfield Avenue<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37212<br />
H:(615) 783-0106<br />
(19) Ludye Wallace<br />
lwallace@metro.nashville.org<br />
P.O. Box 22907<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37202<br />
H: (615) 742-0033<br />
(20) Morris B. Haddox<br />
mhaddox@metro.nashville.org<br />
1508 Charlotte Avenue<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37203<br />
H: (615) 329-0758<br />
(21) Edward Whitmore<br />
ewhitmore@metro.nashville.org<br />
3613 Batavia Street<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37209<br />
H: (615) 321-0795<br />
(22) Norma Hand<br />
nhand@metro.nashville.org<br />
6327 Columbia Avenue<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37209<br />
H: (615) 356-5317<br />
(23) Bob Bogen<br />
bbogen@metro.nashville.org<br />
6755 Pennywell Drive<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37205<br />
H: (615) 356-3150<br />
(24) John Summers<br />
jsummers@metro.nashville.org<br />
5000 Wyoming Avenue<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37209<br />
H: (615) 386-9660<br />
(25) Jim Shulman<br />
jshulman@metro.nashville.org<br />
3516 Hampton Avenue<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37215<br />
H: (615) 292-4344<br />
(26) Michelle Arriola<br />
marriola@metro.nashville.org<br />
225 Elysian Fields Road<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37211<br />
H: (615) 833-8533<br />
(27) Janis Sontany<br />
jsontany@metro.nashville.org<br />
188 Chilton Street<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37211<br />
H: (615) 331-7616<br />
(28) Jason Alexander<br />
Jason.Alexander@fisi.cendant.com<br />
4408 Dowdy Drive<br />
Antioch, TN 37013<br />
H: (615) 832-1052<br />
(29) Saletta Holloway<br />
sholloway@metro.nashville.org<br />
3025 Anderson Road<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37217<br />
H: (615) 367-1754<br />
(30) Michael Kerstetter<br />
mkerstetter@metro.nashville.org<br />
233 Clipper Court<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, Tennessee 37211<br />
H: (615) 834-1305<br />
(31) Don Knoch<br />
dknoch@metro.nashville.org<br />
1600 Crosswind Place<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37211<br />
H: (615) 834-9402<br />
(32) Craig A. Jenkins<br />
cjenkins@metro.nashville.org<br />
373 Barrywood Drive<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37211<br />
W: (615) 749-8367<br />
H: (615) 331-8320<br />
(33) Ron Turner<br />
rturner@metro.nashville.org<br />
3615 Wilbur Place<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37215<br />
W: (615) 444-2562 x1178<br />
H: (615) 383-9037<br />
(34) Lynn Williams<br />
lwilliams@metro.nashville.org<br />
4020 Dorcas Drive<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37215<br />
H: (615) 385-3859<br />
(35) Charlie Tygard<br />
ctygard@metro.nashville.org<br />
P. O. Box 210945<br />
<strong>Nashville</strong>, TN 37221<br />
W: (615) 865-0003<br />
H: (615) 646-3295
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