The Bilerico Project | Daily experiments in LGBTQ

The Board of the Indy Rainbow Chamber of Commerce has approved for circulation a Resolution in support of amending nondiscrimination laws and ordinances to include sexual orientation and gender identity. It is the intent of the Rainbow Chamber that the Resolution, which appears below, serve as the principle vehicle by which the business community of Indiana can signal its support for amendments to local ordinances, state law, and federal law, which amendments would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

This Resolution will provide support specifically for amendments to the Human Rights Ordinance for the City of Indianapolis (currently sponsored by City County Councilor Jackie Nytes and City County Councilor Scott Keller) and to amendments to the Civil Rights Code for the State of Indiana as promoted by Indiana Equality. It is the intent of the Rainbow Chamber eventually to publicize both the Resolution and its signatories, and that this Resolution serve the needs of other localities as appropriate.

ACTION:

The Rainbow Chamber urges your help in the following:

1.) If you are a business owner, executive, or employer empowered to speak for your organization, and wish to add your organization as a signatory, please forward to the Rainbow Chamber (info@indyrainbowchamber.org) the following information:

Name of Organization
Name of Principal Contact empowered for this initiative
Title of Principal Contact
Address of Organization
Phone Number of Organization
E-mail address of organization

Please note that only the name of the organization will be noted as a signatory to the circulated resolution. The other information will be retained privately, but is necessary to ensure that the decision to become a signatory is valid and to classify the signatory according to the

2.) If you are an employee of an organization, PLEASE ASK YOUR EMPLOYER TO BECOME A SIGNATORY to this resolution.

3.) PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE to any business owner or any employee that you believe will or should support this resolution.

Respectfully,

Chris Douglas
President
Indy Rainbow Chamber of Commerce

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RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF AMENDING NONDISCRIMINATION LAWS TO INCLUDE SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY

WHEREAS it is unjust to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, veteran status;
WHEREAS it remains legal in Indiana to deny someone employment, housing or public accommodation based on his or her sexual orientation or gender identity alone;
WHEREAS the majority of Hoosiers oppose discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation;
WHEREAS the absence of equal protection of the law discourages both talented people and companies that seek talented people from locating in Indiana;
WHEREAS all our employees, vendors, customers are important to us regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity;
THEREFORE we support and encourage in Indiana and elsewhere the addition of sexual orientation and gender identity to the categories of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, disability and veteran status which are currently legally protected from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodation.