LGBTQ equality
"When I first came to Kentucky, my employer did not have domestic partner benefits, and we couldn't pay all our medical bills. As a lesbian/member of the LGBTQ community, I am proud to belong to an organization that fights for equality for all Kentuckians."
Meta Mendel-Reyes
Madison County
Resources
Kentucky Commission on Human Rights
Eastern Kentucky Fairness on Facebook
As KFTC has grown, expanding our vision of equality for all Kentuckians has been a labor of love and a transformative internal process. While many members shared this vision of equality for decades, in 2004 our Steering Committee shared a series of deeply emotional conversations, meetings, and personal reflections and eventually adopted language to our platform to include our LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered and Queer or Questioning) communities. Since then (and well before), our local chapters and statewide members have contributed to a growing movement for fairness, safety and celebration of diversity in Kentucky and beyond.
From offering our staff domestic partner benefits to lobbying our elected officials for fairness ordinances and anti-bullying legislation, KFTC members continue to prioritize our vision for a better Kentucky all Kentuckians deserve. As you can read in our blog feed below, our local chapters have recently prioritized LGBTQ equality through Fairness Ordinance organizing in Berea, safe restroom campaign in central Kentucky, creating LGBTQ support networks in Perry County, and much more.
What is a Fairness Ordinance: A Fairness Ordinance would prohibit discrimination in the workplace, housing, and public accommodations based on sexual orientation or gender identity. We believe that all Kentuckians have a right to live without fear of unjust discrimination, regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity. As written, Kentucky law does not guarantee this right, and must be changed. We support a statewide Fairness law and also Fairness ordinances at a local level until a statewide law is establish.
Trans Awareness Week and Trans Day of Remembrance
Every year, during the week leading up to the Trans Day of Remembrance, people come together to particpate in Trans Awareness Week. This week is dedicated to raising the visibility of transgender people, and to talk about issues that members of the community often face. From homelessness, to poverty, discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodation, and even to violence, trans and gender nonconforming people are forced to live lives where systems of injustice overlap. The week is set aside from November 13 to November 19.
Reflections on the Georgetown Fairness victory
Georgetown passed a fairness ordinance on September 9, becoming the 13th Kentucky city to do so. Since writing this, Versailles became the next city to pass a fairness ordinance, and Highland Heights has had its first reading, with a second reading is scheduled for the 15th.
I am a retired public school teacher, an adjunct professor at Georgetown College, a mother of five children (two of whom are gay), and a grandmother to seven. My husband, a local pediatrician, and I both spoke in favor of the ordinance.
Pikeville Pride
Join us October 12 for the 2nd Annual Pikeville Pride – a day full of inclusion, affirmation and lots of rainbows!
Live music, drag entertainment, vendors, dancing, face painting, free hugs, free food and so much more! Check back for more announcements soon!
Why speaking out should matter to everyone
Last Monday, August 26, 2019, started out as just another workday for me. I was tired. I’d been working a lot lately, and I had many chores to do at home. I had grocery shopping to do. I had a full day of work ahead of me before I could attend to anything on my to-do list. At that point, early in the morning and with half a cup of coffee, all I had planned to do after work was more work.
Fairness Moving Forward
On August 6, Dayton became the 12th city in Kentucky to pass a fairness ordinance!
Mayor Ben Baker, who helped found the Northern Kentucky KFTC Chapter and served as its Steering Committee representative for several years, led a process that resulted in 5-0 vote in support of extending non-discrimination protections to LGBTQ+ Kentuckians living and working in the city! (You can watch the video here!)
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