Boone Town Council Votes to Protect People from Discrimination Based on LGBTQ+ Identity and Natural Hairstyle

Boone – Tonight, the Boone Town Council unanimously voted to pass an ordinance that protects residents from discrimination based on race, natural hair or hairstyles, ethnicity, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin or ancestry, marital or familial status, pregnancy, veteran status, religious belief or non-belief, age, or disability. The ordinance ensures protections in employment, housing and places of public accommodations – such as restaurants and businesses – by prohibiting discriminatory practices. Notably, the new ordinance ensures that prohibitions on racial discrimination include discrimination based on natural hairstyles, and that prohibitions on sex discrimination include discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. 

Similar ordinances prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity have been passed in 21 other municipalities all across North Carolina. They include large cities and smaller towns – such as Asheville, Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham, Hillsborough, and Morrisville – and five counties. See all of the inclusive nondiscrimination ordinances here. 

Kendra R. Johnson, Executive Director of Equality NC (she/her pronouns), said: 

“The nondiscrimination ordinance passed in Boone is an important step in dismantling discriminatory practices that target LGBTQ+ folks and people of color. Marginalized groups have long experienced discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations, and we are pleased to see Boone’s Town Council put new protections in place to ensure more equitable access in these areas. Moving forward, we hope to see more towns adopt LGBTQ+ inclusive and racially inclusive non-discrimination language in a continued shift towards equality.”

Allison Scott, Director of Impact & Innovation at the Campaign for Southern Equality (she/her pronouns), added:

“Over the past few years communities across North Carolina have embraced LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination protections and protections for discrimination based on natural hairstyle. These include urban and rural communities, large and small municipalities, and local governments from every region of the state. It’s great to see the Boone Town Council take action tonight – because no one should be left vulnerable to discrimination because of who they are, who they love, or how they express themselves.”

Tim Futrelle, Mayor of Boone, said today:

"The town of Boone is a safe, and welcoming place for anyone to be who they are and live free from discrimination. The passage of this Non-Discrimination Ordinance is our opportunity to put these words to action. I am honored to be a part of it." 

Todd Carter, Boone Town Council Member, added:

"I am incredibly happy that this day has come. It was nearly two years ago, before I was elected to Town Council, that a group of Boone citizens, myself included, began working with Equality NC and Campiagn for Southern Equality to get a nondisrimination ordinance passed. I want to thank Mayor Futrelle and all council members for supporting these efforts. A special thanks goes to Councilmembers George and Roseman who took the initial steps on the previous council to establish a Human Relations Commission for the Town of Boone.

As attacks on the LGBTQ+ community continue to rise, this is an important step to help protect queer Boone residents and visitors in housing, accommodations and employment. Boone has a well-deserved reputation as a welcoming and inclusive town and it is gratifying to now see those values enshrined in a town ordinance." 

Learn more about the need for inclusive nondiscrimination protections in North Carolina by visiting the website for NC is Ready. 

# # #

Equality North Carolina builds LGBTQ+ power through advocacy, education, and uplifting the stories of queer and trans North Carolinians in pursuit of racial and social justice. www.equalitync.org 

Based in Asheville, NC, the Campaign for Southern Equality promotes full LGBTQ equality across the South. Our work is rooted in commitments to equity in race, gender and class. www.southernequality.org