Asheville Stands Apart From The Rest Of North Carolina

While North Carolina state legislators are working hard to write discrimination against the LGBT community into law, the city of Asheville, North Carolina, is taking the opposite approach.

The Asheville City Council, in a 5-1 vote--Mayor Terry Bellamy was the only no-vote--this past Tuesday night, approved a resolution that creates a city registry for same-sex couples and endorses more rights for the gay community.

In.North.Carolina.


The new rule calls for the inclusion of gender identity and expression into the city's anti-discrimination employment policy, and it also puts an anti-bullying ordinance in place. The resolution will also create a domestic partner registry for same-sex couples to express that they are a committed couple, which will prevent problems when it comes to things like hospital visitation.

And, most surprisingly of all, it calls for the city of Asheville to support marriage equality.
Westleigh Heath, a member of People of Faith for Just Relationships, says, "This isn't just looking narrowly at these issues just for LGBT [community], I think it's for everyone in Asheville. It's a gift to all of us."

Indeed it is.

source