A councillor in the South Carolina county of Greenville is pushing for a referendum that could make the region similar to Poland’s ‘LGBT free’ zones.

Recently, councilman Joe Dill has voted to block the repeal of an anti-gay resolution from 1996, which stated that “lifestyles advocated by the gay community should not be endorsed by government policy makers, because they are incompatible with the standards to which this community subscribes.”

As of today, he now wants to vote to determine whether the law should be permanently kept in place. If this would go ahead, it would establish Greenville as an "LGBT-free zone", similar to those in Poland.

Butch Kirven, who was in favour of repealing the resolution, told a crowd after the vote: “Community values and standards are as important today as they ever have been and those things cannot be legislated or coerced by government.

“They must be nurtured by people themselves. Everyone has the freedom to seek and strive to achieve their own ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and this County Council cannot change that.

“Nowhere in state law in our given duties and responsibilities does it say anything about County Council being responsible for setting the community standards of Greenville County.

“Those are individual responsibilities. So that’s my comment on tonight’s proceedings.”

Upstate Pride SC, a local LGBT+ group, posted on Facebook: “Tonight wasn’t the result we wanted at all. But guess what? We still have PLENTY of fight left. See you all in two weeks. Same time. Same place. Same old fight for equality and inclusion.”

Read related myGwork articles here:

Poland’s LGBT+ Politicians, Celebrities and Activists Lip Sync to Taylor Swift to Fight Homophobia

A Judge In South Carolina Made Racist, Anti-Trans Posts On Social Media

South Carolina To Ban Medical Treatments for Trans Kids

Keep up to date with the latest myGnews 

LGBT professionals, LGBT Graduates, LGBT professional network, LGBT professional events, LGBT networking events, LGBT Recruitment, LGBT Friendly organisations, LGBT Friendly companies, LGBT jobs