RICHMOND CITY
COUNCIL
Richmond
City Council – Richmond City Hall - 900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305 - Richmond, Virginia 23219
U.S.A. - www.council.richmondva.gov
COUNCIL PUBLIC
INFORMATION NEWS RELEASE
IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO BE FORWARDED AND SHARED
Friday,
26 June 2015
Richmond City Council Statement
Regarding: United States Supreme Court decisions confirming
freedom to marry
(Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.) – "Today we celebrate the United States Supreme Court's ruling regarding
marriage freedom, which coincides with Richmond City
Council’s recent Proclamation recognizing June 2015 as Richmond Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Queer Pride Month. Progress on this
issue reflects Richmond City Council’s ongoing support of civil rights, equality
and freedom from discrimination.
To quote Julian Bond, Former National Chairman of the NAACP, who
has previously spoken on the issue of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender,
Questioning and Queer rights, “Civil rights are positive legal prerogatives — the right to
equal treatment before the law. These are rights shared by everyone; there is
no one in the United States who does not — or should not — share in enjoying
these rights.”
A portion of the Richmond City Council proclamation reads “… The
Richmond community includes people of all ages and races who identify as
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Queer and each of us should
have the same equal rights, benefits and responsibilities that are shared and
enjoyed by all…” Today’s decision reflects this
fundamental tenet.
The historic United States Supreme Court's ruling
today means that same-sex couples will soon have the freedom to marry under the
law in across our nation. We join with Richmond residents and families in
celebrating the significance of this important decision.”
Background
A quick summary of some of Richmond City Council’s historic
support of equal civil rights includes:
1. Richmond City Council
RICHMOND OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION
Richmond Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Transgender, Questioning and
Queer Pride Month (June
2015)
Sponsored by The Honorable Charles R. Samuels,
Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond North Central 2nd Voter
District
Presented June 18, 2015
2. Richmond City Council
RICHMOND OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION
Richmond
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Day (September 27, 2014)
Sponsored by The Honorable Charles R. Samuels,
Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond North Central 2nd Voter
District
Presented September 27, 2014
3. Richmond City Council
RICHMOND OFFICIAL JOINT PROCLAMATION
Richmond Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20, 2013)
Sponsored
by The Honorable Cynthia I. Newbille, Councilwoman, Richmond City Council,
Richmond East End 7th Voter District
Presented November
20, 2013
4. Richmond City Council
Ordinance
Number 2013-154-205
The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman,
Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District; The
Honorable Charles R. Samuels, Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond North
Central 2nd Voter District; and, The Honorable Chris A. Hilbert,
Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond Northside 3rd Voter
District
Adopted October 26, 2013
To
amend Richmond City for the purposes of, to the extent now or hereafter
permitted or required by law, recognizing same sex marriages that have lawfully
occurred in other states and requiring the Richmond to extend all of the
benefits offered to the spouses of City employees in heterosexual marriages to
the partners of City employees in same sex marriages that have lawfully
occurred in other states.
5. Richmond City Council
RICHMOND OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION
Richmond
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Day (September 28, 2013)
Sponsored by The Honorable Charles R. Samuels,
Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond North Central 2nd Voter
District
Presented September 28, 2013
6. Richmond City Council
COUNCIL PUBLIC INFORMATION NEWS ADVISORY
Thursday, June 27, 2013
A Joint Statement by
The Honorable Charles R.
Samuels
Councilman, Richmond North
Central 2nd Voter District and
The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto
Councilman, Richmond Central
5th Voter District
Regarding:
United States of America Supreme Court decision on the U.S. Defense of Marriage
Act and the State of California's Proposition 8
Richmond,
Virginia U.S.A.) – "We are encouraged
by yesterday's United States Supreme Court's decision in striking down a
provision of U. S. federal law, known as the Defense of Marriage Act, that has
denied federal health, pension and tax benefits to legally married same sex
couples. We are also pleased that they chose to leave in place a trial court's
declaration that California's Proposition 8, which banned same sex marriage in
that state, was unconstitutional.
The
Supreme Court decision coincides with the Richmond City Council Proclamation
that recognizes June 2013 as Richmond Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender
Pride Month. A portion of the proclamation reads "… each of us should have
the same equal rights, benefits and responsibilities that are shared and
enjoyed by all…" Yesterday's ruling
echoes this sentiment.."
7. Richmond City Council
RICHMOND OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION
Richmond Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month (June
2013)
Sponsored by The Honorable Charles R. Samuels,
Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond North Central 2nd Voter
District and The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman, Richmond City
Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District
Presented May 28, 2013
8. Richmond City Council
Ordinance
2013-10-98
Approved May 28, 2013
Richmond
City Council approved updated Richmond Personnel Rules for city employees,
which included prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation.
9.
Richmond
City Council
RICHMOND OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION
Richmond Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month (June
2012)
Sponsored by The Honorable Charles R. Samuels,
Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond North Central 2nd Voter
District
Presented June 15, 2012
10. Richmond City Council
RICHMOND OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION
Richmond Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month (June
2011)
Sponsored by The Honorable Charles R. Samuels,
Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond North Central 2nd Voter
District
Presented June 13, 2011
11. Richmond City Council
RICHMOND RECOGNITION AWARD
Mr. Tracy Thorne-Begland
Sponsored by The Honorable Chris A. Hilbert,
Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond Northside 3rd Voter
District
Presented February 14, 2011
To
officially recognize, honor and celebrate Mr. Tracy Thorne-Begland for his
personal history of advocacy and dedication on behalf of the rights of people
who are gay and lesbian to serve in the United States of America Military Armed
Forces.
12. Richmond City Council
Resolution
Number 2009-R73-91
Sponsored by The Honorable Chris A. Hilbert,
Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond Northside 3rd Voter
District, The Honorable Reva M. Trammell, Councilwoman, Richmond City Council,
Richmond Southside 8th Voter District, and The Honorable Charles R.
Samuels, Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond North Central 2nd
Voter District,
Adopted June 22, 2009
To express the support of Richmond City Council for
legislation in the Virginia General Assembly codifying the basic human right of
all public employees to be free from discrimination in the workplace based on
race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related
medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, status as a special
disabled veteran or other veteran covered by the Vietnam Era Veterans
Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended, and sexual orientation,
including gender identity.
CONTACT For
more information, please contact Steve Skinner, Council Public Information
Manager, Richmond City Council Office of the Council Chief of Staff, at
804.646.6052; or steven.skinner@richmondgov.com
- E N D -
Steve Skinner
Council Public Information Manager
RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL
OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL CHIEF OF STAFF
Richmond City Council Executive
Offices
Richmond City Hall
900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305
Richmond, Virginia 23219 U.S.A.
804.646.6052 (tel)
804.937.1386 (home/mobile)
804.335.4054 (mobile)
804.646.5468 (fax)
steven.skinner@richmondgov.com (email)
www.council.richmondva.gov(website)
______________________________________________________________
MISSION The mission of Richmond City Council is to
represent citizens in creating and amending local laws,
providing government
policy and oversight, and
approving the city budget.
VISION Richmond City Council is committed to
creating a vibrant community that is a great place
to live, work, learn, play, visit and raise a family.
