WAVELAND, Miss.–“We are proving to the country that our city is on the right side of history,” said Waveland Mayor David Garcia, as he signed a resolution by the city council Wednesday that made that city the seventh in Mississippi to adopt a pro-LGBT, anti-discrimination stance, per the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) push.
Federal laws already exist that make it punishable to discriminate, based on sexual orientation, but the HRC has been asking Mississippi cities to adopt resolutions that recognize “the dignity and worth of all city residents – including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)”. The other cities are Starkville, Hattiesburg, Greenville, Magnolia, Bay St. Louis and Oxford.
“This is another important step forward to ensure that all Mississippians are treated equally and with respect and dignity,” said Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Chad Griffin, a native of Arkansas.
The group recently joined Mississippi lawmakers at the state capitol to call for more action on gay rights issues in the state.
“The approved action is important for the people of Waveland. This sends a strong message throughout Mississippi that LGBT citizens are welcome in our fantastic city,” said Garcia in a statement.
This summer, HRC Mississippi, as part of Project One America, will open office space in Jackson staffed with a statewide director, community organizer, and faith organizer. The community-based program says it will focus on changing hearts and minds, gaining enduring legal protections and building more inclusive institutions from the church pew to the workplace.
