On Monday, Juneau came together to grieve and pray for the victims and survivors of a deadly anti-LGBTQ hate crime in Orlando, on the same day of a mayoral proclamation declaring June 2016 as Juneau Pride Month and the introduction of Ordinance 2016-23, which would amend the current city code to include sexual orientation and gender identity as classes protected from discrimination.
It was a bittersweet celebration, hearing the kind words of the proclamation, directly after our community worldwide was rocked by hate. It reminded us all, I think, of the great work still ahead for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and otherwise queer (LGBTQ) community across the nation, in the middle of our local Pride festivities.
Where I work, employees are protected from employment discrimination; we are judged solely on our merits, not on our identities. Our sexual orientations and gender identities aren’t subject to scrutiny, just as our racial heritage isn’t; our identities can’t be held against us any more than the color of our eyes. My employer protects its employees using specific language to only judge a person based on the merit of their work. What’s amazing is that this isn’t universal, even here in Juneau. Members of the LGBTQ community are at risk of discrimination in their workplaces, in the housing and realty market, in public programs and in public accommodations (including at health care providers) simply because of their identity.
While my job is safe, I have other worries. Based on my relationship with my landlord, I assume that my tenancy at my apartment is safe, but I still worry. I worry about over-sharing details about my life when I go to doctor’s appointments and hospitals. I have to check my wardrobe for rainbows announcing my queerness when I go to programs and events in town, and decide if it would be worth it in the case of denial of services or basic accommodations.
If I were straight, I’d have no worries — but I am transgender and queer, and I don’t feel welcome in my hometown or state.
Juneau has been a great place to call home, and prides itself on its spirit of welcoming, but not everyone is allowed to live openly and truthfully. We can host Pride Month activities for years to come, but until we codify protections from discrimination for the LGBTQ community, we will always be at risk of someone using these celebratory events to kick us from our homes and jobs. We can say we’re proud of who we are until we’re blue in the face, but until the Assembly passes the ordinance Juneau will always be a potentially hostile environment.
June has always been a hard, emotional month for me, like for many LGBTQ people. This month commemorates what has been called the first “gay Pride”, a result of decades of anti-LGBTQ culture across the nation and, more specifically, the violent police raid on the Stonewall Inn in New York City back in 1969. Survivors of the attack marched and rioted, angry and afraid at the government-sanctioned attacks on their community. It hasn’t always been rainbows and sparkles — the first collective Pride celebration was a riot for their very lives.
My name is Elliott Tibbitts, and by submitting this I face some very real risks. When this letter gets published, my landlord could choose not to renew my lease. I might face hardships when I move through the community because of who I am. I could be denied quality health care because of who I love and how I identify myself. Despite these risks, I can’t in good conscience stay silent. Passing this ordinance would make Juneau truly welcoming for its citizens.
We must bring our whole community under the protections of the city code. Until we do, our friends and neighbors risk eviction, layoffs and inadequate care. Until states and cities across the nation step up to protect their local communities, we can’t expect to turn the tide on hate crimes, homophobic attacks or the murder of transgender people. Changing the anti-gay culture of American society starts here at home.
We are Juneauites, and we deserve to live in peace — just like everyone else.
(Editor’s Note: The Assembly will hold a special work session on June 21 to take public testimony on this ordinance.)
• Elliott Tibbitts is a local activist for the LGBTQ community and is from Juneau.
