Arlington City Council

We have been made aware that the City Council of Arlington is planning to delete all mention of “sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression” as protected characteristics from their Anti-Discrimination Policy.

Here’s the sequence of events:

• The council suspended the Anti-Discrimination Policy early in September so that it could be modified.
• The policy returned to the City Council with some rearrangement of the language around sexual orientation and gender identity at the September 16 meeting. At that meeting, the first reading was tabled so that council members could consider the rearranged language further.
• They have now returned the policy to the agenda for a first reading at the October 14 meeting, with wholesale deletions of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression throughout. There are no other changes proposed to the policy, only these erasures.
• Take a look at the agenda here. It’s Item 11.2. https://www.arlingtontx.gov/files/2e8fe3d1-cbac-4c3d-a70d-2700af113a35/2025%E2%80%9410%E2%80%9414-Evening.pdf
• Take a look at the Staff Report (summary) here: https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/3620675/Staff_Report_-_Amendment_to_Anti-Discrimination_Chapter.pdf
• Take a look at the Ordinance to revise the ADP here: https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/3620681/Ordinance_-_Amendment_of_the_Anti-Discrimination_Chapter.pdf

We believe that community pressure can persuade the members to not go backwards in the progress Arlington citizens have been proud of.

• Show up. If you or any of your congregants live in Arlington, now is the time to show up for a City Council meeting: Tuesday 10/14, 6:30 pm.
• Speak up. We hope for a long string of thoughtful, civil public comments. Here’s the text from the city website: Persons who intend to speak during the Citizen Participation portion of a City Council meeting shall pre-register no later than 5:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Persons may pre-register online using the form on the Meeting Process page, by calling 817-459-6186, or by completing a registration card at the City Secretary’s Office.
• Social up. Check the HELP Center’s Facebook page frequently; repost their stuff. https://www.facebook.com/HELPCenterTX. Write your own posts about what this means to you as a businessperson, clergy person, educator, parent, human being.
• Call up. Call your City Council member, and the at-large members, and tell them you’re paying attention. Find their phone numbers here: https://www.arlingtontx.gov/Government/City-Government/City-Council/City-Council-Members