By Natalie Anderson
natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — While local LGBTQ advocates praise the city of Salisbury for its support, including the recent passage of a nondiscrimination ordinance this month, they say more work is needed amid state and national attempts at limiting protections.

The Human Rights Campaign in May reported 23 anti-LGBTQ bills enacted in Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Oklahoma, North and South Dakota, Tennessee, Montana and West Virginia. Recent advocacy has been aimed at protecting those who identify as transgender or gender non-conforming. To date, at least 28 people have been killed, according to the HRC, which has tracked such deaths since 2013. By the spring of 2020, 13 deaths had been reported.

“When we’re still seeing that, we’ve got a long way to go,” said Salisbury City Council member Tamara Sheffield.

Sheffield made history in 2017 when she was the first openly gay candidate to be elected to the Salisbury City Council. Since then, she’s continued advocating for equality. Sheffield told the Post the city was on the right path of “ensuring all of Salisburians and those who choose to work here are going to be treated the same” when she was elected. Since her election, she’s worked with city staff and the Human Resources Department to revise language in the city’s handbooks.

She pushed for a nondiscrimination ordinance that “fits Salisbury.” On June 16, after the expiration of sections of a state law that repealed the controversial House Bill 2, the Salisbury City Council unanimously passed such an ordinance for city employees and contractors hired by the city prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

“Pride’s not about having a festival. Pride is 365 days a year,” Sheffield said. “And for me specifically, I’ve not always had my voice and have had to be reliant on those who came before me and before I had a voice. I’m now obligated to use it because someone somewhere else is not able.”

The majority of anti-trans legislation across the nation relates to barring transgender athletes from competing according to their gender identity as well as the prohibition of certain medical services. Additionally, more than 30 bills being tracked by the Human Rights Campaign relate to the refusal of services based on gender identity.

In North Carolina, three bills were filed during the current legislative session to limit the rights of those in the LGBTQ community, but none have passed the chambers where they were introduced. House Bill 358, or “Save Women’s Sports Act,” requires athletes on middle, high school and intercollegiate sports teams to participate in the team aligned with the sex they were assigned at birth. Among the criticism from advocacy groups like Equality NC is the inclusion of language that specifically targets transgender girls.

All three of Rowan County’s state representatives — Harry Warren, Julia Howard and Wayne Sasser — signed onto the bill as sponsors.

Senate Bill 514 sought to prohibit transgender people younger than 21 from receiving any trans-affirming medical care while penalizing medical professionals who provide such care. The bill also would require state employees to share with students’ parents if they learn a student may be transgender. Furthermore, S.B. 515 would have allowed any medical provider to refuse services on the basis of their “personal conscience” regarding transgender issues. LGBTQ advocates also argue that bill would’ve extended discrimination to other marginalized groups since “conscience” as defined in the bill extends to religious, moral or ethical beliefs.

In addition to the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance, Salisbury Pride Vice President Becky Lane praises the city for its proclamation of Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31 and Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20. But the spike in hateful rhetoric and legislation should serve as a reminder that there’s a long way to go in the fight for equality, she added.

“A severe lack of resources for our transgender friends and family is one area where we must dedicate energy and efforts, (with) lack of trans-friendly healthcare providers and lack of community education and awareness of trans issues being at the top of the list,” Lane said. “These are not just national concerns, but ones in our immediate area as well.”

Lane added that while Salisbury Pride’s reach has extended outside of the city in recent years, “it is still somewhere we would like to see more hearts and minds changed.”

Salisbury Pride President Tim Coffey said educating the community about transgender issues is key.

“These folks are our neighbors, our friends, our family,” he said. “It’s about talking to each other and seeing each other for the real person in front of you, not some label. We’re all brought up to be kind to each other. We need to remember that.”

Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG President Donna Odrosky said now is a critical time to show love and support to the youth who identify as LGBTQ, especially those missing such graces from their loved ones.

Odrosky has a transgender son and recalls Mike Clawson, a founding member of Salisbury Pride, reaching out to her family to offer support and understanding. She now seeks to do the same for other families.

“Right now is a hard time for youth without support at home or in their family,” she said. “This is a critical time that we show support and love to those who identify as LGBTQ. I have a transgender son, and I know how hard it can be to parent a child through puberty and as a young adult as they struggle with their identity. It is always nice to have loving support, information and just knowing another family with these same challenges and struggles to talk with.”

She added statewide bills targeting transgender children infringe on their sense of belonging in middle and high school.

“I feel as a parent it is up to me and my child’s doctor to best decide on what my child needs for his mental, emotional and physical health,” she said. “Misinformation is one of the biggest hurdles we face in pushing for equal rights for our family members. A lot of legislative issues could be solved by getting to know how awesome our families are and how we face life. Our kids just want to live their lives as productive, loving and kind human beings.”

Though the pandemic prevented a Pride festival for 2020 and 2021, Coffey said Salisbury Pride continued to host online panel discussions to stay engaged. A few discussions touched on issues of building LGBTQ families, privilege and the formation of Salisbury Pride.

The Salisbury community can expect a return to in-person events as early as this weekend, when Salisbury Pride will host a bike ride with Pedal Factory. The organization’s bowling league will begin in the fall at Woodleaf Lanes. A fundraiser at New Sarum Brewing is planned along with an art exhibition in October.

“Visibility is a major component of what we do,” Coffey said. “Being in a small city in the South, visibility is key.”

Since its formation in 2006, Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG has provided families with education, support and advocacy. It has sponsored a number of community events, including Lee Street theatre productions and student and faculty programs at local schools and colleges. Since 2008, the organization has awarded $1,000 scholarships to eight Rowan County high school seniors, LGBTQ students and straight allies.

Odrosky said PFLAG is slated for an in-person return to monthly support group meetings at First United Church of Christ in Salisbury, with online options also available.

With the increased threat to transgender people specifically, Sheffield said LGBTQ allies need be active in their work. Coffey said allies come in many forms — from those who “just treat you like people” to those who are actively doing work.

Odrosky says allies must remember one’s gender identity or sexual orientation looks different for every person and falls on a wide spectrum.

Lane said being an ally requires more than “putting a rainbow on your Facebook profile for Pride Month.”

“Being an ally is about putting your efforts and your money where your mouth is and backing the LGBTQ+ community in every way,” Lane said.”Support LGBTQ+-owned businesses. Support local LGBTQ+ organizations. Call out discrimination, homophobia and transphobia when you see or hear it from others. Don’t tolerate it just to avoid making someone uncomfortable. Become an active participant in efforts to change the status quo.”

Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246.