JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi’s capitol city has passed an anti-discrimination resolution recognizing the dignity and worth of all city residents — including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.
The Jackson City Council voted 3-1 Tuesday to approve the resolution. Two council members were absent. Councilwoman LaRita Cooper Stokes voted against it.
Jackson is the eighth Mississippi municipality to pass such a resolution. The movement in the state began in Starkville this past January, and so far has spread to cities across the state, including Oxford, Hattiesburg, Greenville, Bay St. Louis, Magnolia and Waveland.
In April, Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed a “religious freedom” bill passed by the Mississippi legislature that opponents say could lead to state-sanctioned discrimination against gays.
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In response, hundreds of businesses statewide have responded by displaying a decal informing LGBT customers that their business is welcome.
A poll conducted last summer by the HRC found 64 percent of Mississippi residents back workplace non-discrimination protections for LGBT employees and nearly 60 percent of Mississippians under the age of 30 support marriage equality.
