Philly City Employees Banned from Travel to Anti-LGBT States
In a show of tolerance and empathy for those affected by anti-LGBT legislation in municipalities across the country, Mayor Jim Kenney has prohibited Philadelphia city employees from traveling on official business to places where such laws have been enacted. The bans, says Kenney, will last until the hateful laws are repealed.
Mayor Kenney has prohibited city employees from traveling on official business to states that have enacted anti-LGBT legislation.
The ban started on April 20th in response to the Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act in Mississippi and the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, commonly called “HB2,” in North Carolina. The law in Mississippi allows businesses to refuse service to LGBT persons on religious grounds, while HB2 requires all people (including transgender individuals) to use the public bathroom consistent with the sex listed on their birth certificate.
According to Kenney: “By issuing a non-essential travel ban to those states, we take a stand against bigotry and prejudice happening in those states, and in cities and states nationwide. I will continue to actively welcome any and all people, businesses, organizations and events who no longer feel welcome in their state because of these discriminatory laws.”
On May 9th, Kenney expanded the ban to the state of Tennessee following the passage of Senate Bill 1556, which “allows mental health professionals to reject LGBT individuals as clients. The ban has also been extended to the city of Oxford, Ala., where transgender individuals can face jail time for using a bathroom that does not correspond to their biological sex,” as per the Daily Philadelphian.
The city’s LGBT Affairs Director Helen Fitzpatrick told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that Kenney and his administration “will continue to stand up with and for LGBT people by using everything within our jurisdictional power to send the message that hate and discrimination against people for who they are or who they love is intolerable.”
