Asheville takes on LGBT rights

Wow… if those Asheville folk keep it up, I’ll have to make a blog category just for them, lol,

There have been a two stories out of Asheville I have covered on my blog inthe past few days. The first was the downtown demonstration in support of a lesbian couple victimized by anti-gay employment discrimination. The other is a story that is gaining regional, if not national, attention: the announcement that an Asheville pastor will stop performing civil marriages until all couples are given the right to enter into them.

The Asheville Citizen-Times published another article on LGBT rights today. Entitled, “Gay rights issues gaining traction locally“, the article deals with the recent events in Asheville and the writer has done a great job covering the issues and connecting them to the larger regional and national issues and political climate.

Gay rights issues gaining traction locally

Debate over same-sex marriage, benefits part of national trend

by John Boyle, SENIOR WRITER

Published February 21, 2006 6:00 am

ASHEVILLE — In a matter of weeks, this city of nearly 75,000 people has taken on gay rights issues being argued nationwide, such as same-sex marriages and workplace benefits for partners of gay employees.

Whether that amounts to trend or coincidence is another matter.

The Rev. Steve Runholt sees a movement taking place with events that include an Asheville pastor’s announcement Sunday that he would no longer perform civil marriages because he cannot do so for gay and lesbian couples.

A Massachusetts law allowing gay marriages sparked a rush by some states two years ago to adopt gay marriage bans.

Also this month, Asheville City Councilmen Brownie Newman said he wants the city to consider allowing gay and lesbian employees to add partners to health insurance benefits plans, reflective of another national debate.

“I think two things are happening,” said Runholt, chaplain at Warren Wilson College and pastor of the Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church. “One is that people are realizing that constitutionally, America is committed to the principle of creating a society with liberty and justice for all.

“The other thing is that on the religious side, people are starting to understand the Gospel in a profound way, and Jesus routinely crossed the social and cultural and even theological barriers that excluded people, and he did that in the service of love.”

Runholt also is a member of People of Faith for Just Relationships, which the Rev. Joe Hoffman coordinates.

Hoffman, the pastor of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Asheville, delivered a sermon Sunday in which he said he will no longer perform civil marriages that would be recognized by the state. He still will perform the religious marriage ceremony for gay and heterosexual couples.

Taking a different approach

Malcolm Lazin, executive director of Equality Forum, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit civil rights group for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people, said issues percolating in Asheville have been making national headlines since the 2004 presidential election and before.

“I think it’s reflective of a conversation that America is having with itself, literally across the nation,” Lazin said.

In terms of Hoffman’s action, Lazin said he’s not heard of other pastors taking that tack, but he likes the idea.

“In the past we have assumed it’s religion versus gays and lesbians,” Lazin said. “What we’re seeing now is it’s not a discussion between gays and lesbians but a discussion that religious denominations are having with themselves in terms of the values they have.”

Newman said he thinks the recent headlines represent more of a confluence of events rather than any organized efforts.

“I think personally that the community looks at these different issues very differently,” Newman said. “There’s a lot of people who would disagree with changing the definition of marriage who probably would agree with the idea that all employees should get the same benefits for doing the same job.”

Extending benefits to long-term partners of gay and lesbian employees would not cost taxpayers money, he said. Three other North Carolina cities offering such benefits — Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Durham. Orange and Durham counties are the only two counties that have equal benefit policies.

In the workplace

In another recent case, the advocacy group Employment Equality for Gays and Lesbians — formed following allegations of discrimination from an Asheville couple — held a Saturday rally of about 60 people in the city’s downtown.

Laurel Scherer and Virginia Balfour say their oral agreement with the Wolf Laurel ski resort in Madison County to take action photos of skiers was terminated in November after they ran their wedding announcement in the Citizen-Times.

Scherer said recent events come from a combination of coincidence and concerted effort for change.

“I think with the Wolf Laurel thing, that inadvertently created a social movement and got some people motivated to work together in some areas they haven’t before,” she said.

Kelley Wolfe, an adjunct professor at UNC Asheville who teaches courses in health and sexuality, sees more afoot, though.

“I’m hoping the centrists are saying, ‘This is the time for equality,’” Wolfe said. “I think if it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen in a town like Asheville, because we’re a pretty open-minded community.”

Runholt, the Warren Wilson chaplain, said he believes the country, and Asheville, are at a turning point.

“What’s happening is it’s becoming the new civil rights issue of our time,” he said. “The issue is not going to go away. If you think about in terms of politics, is it fair and right to discriminate in the United States against someone because of the way they are?”

You got to love Asheville. Most North Carolinians are well aware of the fact that Asheville is one of our state’s most liberal cities, ranking right along with Greensboro. I can definitely say I am proud of the steps being taken toward equality in Asheville. Now if we could only get the same kind of action in Winston-Salem I would be happy.

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