“I am thankful to be able to work every day and not fear being open about who I am,” said Guilford County teacher Tony Philpott, as he addressed a crowd of 60 people gathered in the International Civil Rights Museum. Philpott was one of five panel speakers at a town hall meeting held on Sept. 16, sponsored by Equality N.C. and the Human Rights Council (HRC). The two groups focused on the advancement of civil rights for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) community.

The LGBT community’s efforts to achieve full equality and acceptance in society are now at the forefront of discussion about how America treats its’ citizens.

In the past 10 years alone, 31 states have passed constitutional measures banning gay marriage, while 5 states have approved it. California’s Proposition 8 (a ban on gay marriage narrowly approved by state voters) was also recently ruled unconstitutional by the state’s Supreme Court.

The panelists and audience at the town hall forum expressed enthusiasm at the strides made by the LGBT community both in North Carolina and the nation.

“We have a lot of work to do,” said Equality North Carolina Executive Director Ian Palmquist.

“What I hope we do is to recognize the voting power of Congress and place our efforts in electing progressive candidates this November.”

Guilford Alum and N.C. State Representative Pricey Harrison was among the panelists who stressed the importance of contact between the community and the government.

“Contact your legislator, whether they’re a republican or a democrat, liberal or conservative, and talk to them about how you feel, regardless of how you think they’ll vote on these (progressive measures for LGBT rights) issues,” said Harrison.

“If they know you’re watching them, that makes a difference.”

One of the statewide legislative victories trumpeted by Harrison and other panelists included a bill titled the School Violence Prevention Act – a bill which asserts the recognition and punishment of school violence based on sexual orientation.

However, many in the forum stated that these measures were not far-reaching enough, and called for more expansive hate-crime legislation. There were also calls for more open dialogue between the LGBT community and religious organizations, as well as between gay-rights activists and established Black and Hispanic civil rights organizations.

Despite disappointment with ongoing discrimination, there was audible hope that the repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy is an immediately achievable and concrete goal. The policy, which denies openly gay persons to serve in the military, has been challenged since the Clinton administration.

“Harry Reid and the majority in Congress are on our side with this, but we’ve got to keep calling and pressing for action until we achieve this,” spokesperson for HR, Lee Carter said. “It can be done, but there’s still work to do.”

The effort of local organizations and community members to promote equality was a major source of encouragement for the forum. Efforts such as the Unity Project – a group of local businesses and persons supporting LGBT rights – and another titled Anytown – a workshop where students discuss racism and homophobia – were cheered.

Supporters praised the workshop for bringing themes of understanding and acceptance to members of many different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

“It’s not about theology,” said panelist Randy Floyd. “It’s about ‘do you treat me with the dignity and respect I deserve?'”
The looming issue of gay marriages, although legal in some states, and the controversy over their legitimacy in others was also touched upon.

Audience members told how even if they were married legally in areas such as Washington, D.C., their union is not recognized in North Carolina. Some members even discussed the option of moving out of state due to the problems they face.

In spite of the ongoing setbacks and hurdles standing in the way of full civil rights for the LGBT community, the amount of progress that has made in the past generation was acknowledged.

“When I first went to work for the textile industry in 1972, I was told here are the jobs for blacks and here are the jobs for whites,” said a male audience member.

“The issue of sexuality never even scratched the surface until 1978 when one of my coworkers came out … and now look at where we are in 2010.”

Some audience members stressed the need for open dialogue and legislative action, the forum concluded saying that while equality is necessary and important, ultimately it is the human connection that reveals the true nature of this issue and provides a pathway to progress for LGBT civil rights.