When talk turns to discrimination, state Rep. Charles Chestnut IV is following Gainesville’s lead.
The Democratic representative from Gainesville has announced his plans to co-sponsor a bill that would establish a statewide anti-discrimination policy in which people could not be mistreated based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Gainesville passed a similar city ordinance in 2009 that included transgender people among those protected from discrimination in employment, housing and other arenas.
“In the city of Gainesville, I’m protected,” said Mallory Wells, public policy director for Equality Florida, a state advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. “I’m lucky that I live in Gainesville, but I shouldn’t have to be lucky. I should be protected always.”
Equality Florida helped draft the legislation, which is called the Florida Competitive Workforce Act, Wells said. In the Florida House of Representatives, it is known as House Bill 361 and is in the Business and Consumer Affairs Subcommittee.
In the state Senate, it is called Senate Bill 346 and is in the Judiciary Committee.
The House version of the bill is authored by state Rep. Scott Randolph, a Democrat from Orlando, while the Senate version is by state Sen. Nan Rich, a Democrat from Weston.
The bill isn’t a new idea for Floridians. Fifty-five local policies have been passed in the state prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, including Gainesville, according to Equality Florida’s “Winning Equality” pamphlet about the organization and its goals.
“Most people tell you it’s a really common-sense piece of legislation, and individual legislators do have concerns but we’re not seeing widespread opposition to it,” Wells said.
Most of legislators’ concerns are economic rather than religious, she said.
Kenneth Kidd, an associate professor in the UF English department with expertise in lesbian and gay studies, said in an email interview that the bill should find support among Democrats and representatives from urban areas such as Orlando and Miami.
He is unsure how much opposition it will face. Much of it depends on how the bill is perceived by legislators and the public.
“In the past, even anti-discrimination legislation has been misrepresented as ‘special interest’ or ‘gay advocacy’ rather than an attempt to ensure that LGBTQ citizens can’t be fired for being gay… so I’m always cautious,” he said.
Kidd said he hopes lawmakers understand that they have an obligation to democracy and to equal and fair treatment of citizens when considering anti-discrimination bills.
Chestnut could not be reached for comment as he was in legislative session.
