Restore Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Protections in Arlington City Code
Mayor Ross, Arlington City Council Members
On September 2nd the Arlington City Council suspended Arlington’s entire anti-discrimination ordinance. That ordinance, passed in 2021, had protected people from being treated unfairly because of their sexual orientation or gender identity in addition to other protected classes.
Arlington’s City Attorney said this change was needed to follow a US Attorney General’s guidance, but that simply was not true. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs are different from anti-discrimination laws, and no other city in our entire nation has removed protections from their anti-discrimination ordinance in order to keep federal funds.
Since then, nobody in Arlington has had local protection against discrimination.
On October 14th, the Council considered a new anti-discrimination ordinance that kept protections for everyone, except the LGBTQ+ community. All protections for sexual orientation and gender identity had been stripped from the ordinance.
If the City Council approves the new ordinance, despite being given proof it is unnecessary to do so, it would be a clear step backward for Arlington and a reflection of who this Council is.
Read the petition below, fill out the boxes on the side with your information to record your signature (make sure you leave a comment), and then visit arlingtonstrikesout.com for more information on the issue.
Petition by
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Sponsored by
To:
Mayor Ross, Arlington City Council Members
From:
[Your Name]
Please vote to restore Arlington’s original anti-discrimination ordinance which protected our residents and visitors from unfair treatment based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
That’s who we are as a community. Discrimination has no place in Arlington, and our City should stand with victims — not leave them at risk.
Ending these protections was unnecessary. No other city in the country has removed similar protections. The Council has received several legal opinions showing that the City Attorney’s advice was mistaken.
Please don’t make that mistake worse by leaving some of our most vulnerable neighbors unprotected. Arlington should be known for leadership and fairness — not for being first to take a step backward.
Without these protections, LGBTQ+ residents and visitors are left vulnerable. This also damages Arlington’s image as a welcoming and diverse city. If this decision stands, it could hurt our local economy as conventions, events, and visitors choose to do business with cities that will protect everyone.
Thank you in advance for doing what’s right for our community.