Page 4 Community Connections, October, 1991
CRC Amends Resolution to
Include Sexual Orientation
by Cynthia Janes
The Asheville-Buncombe Community
Relations Council (CRC) Board of
Directors has amended the resolution that
establishes the Council, to include sexual
orientation. By amending the resolution,
the Board is stating formally that sexual
orientation-related discrimination is one
of the categories of cases the CRC will
investigate.
"As far as the Council is concerned,
[sexual orientation] has the same weight
as sex, race, age, religion, color, nation
origin, or handicap. Cases of sexual
orientation [discrimination] would be
investigated the same as these categories.
So if someone were to bring us a
complaint alleging that they were fired
because they were homosexual, we would
attempt to investigate that.... We would
go out and investigate it and try to find
remedy," explained Executive Director
Bob Smith.
Smith outlined the process by which
complaints are investigated. The process
begins with the person who feels wronged
coming to the CRC and talking to one of
two intake officers. The intake officers
get the detailed information about what
happened, determine whether or not if s a
bona fide complaint, and not, for
example, just a personality conflict. The
CRC then sends out a letter of inquiry to
the alleged discriminator (e.g., an
employer) asking for an appointment for
an investigation.
"When we investigate, if we find cause
(meaning that there is sufficient evidence
that discrimination has occurred), we
attempt to conciliate it; if we don’t find
cause we let both parties know and close
the complaint." Smith continued, "If we
find cause and they are unwilling to
conciliate, then in those instances where
we can, we hand it off to EEOC
(Economic Employment Opportunity
Asheville-Buncombe
Community Relations Council
Article II. OBJECTIVES
To centralize the individual community resources by combining the private,
governmental and voluntary efforts in a community attack to solve human problems as
they relate to racial, ethnic, religious and class relationships; to provide information
and opportunities for open discussion, and action to solving the sensitive problems
involved in intergroup relations; to secure steady progress in Asheville and Buncombe
County toward employment on merit, without regard to race, ethnic origin, religious
belief, class, sexual orientation, or disability to create a community in which the
dignity and worth of each individual is respected on his own merits; and to bring under
a coordinating leadership, all the organizations that are working to solve human
relations problems, and to make sure they are doing what is relevant to the situation,
(emphasis added)
Commission)."
But EEOC, a federal agency, has no
jurisdiction in cases involving lesbians and
gay men, since no federal laws
specifically protects our rights.
The CRC handles cases of
discrimination in housing and
employment. Smith said that they would
also attempt to investigate cases of
harassment, threats, intimidation or
violence, although such cases are not
specifically spelled out in the resolution.
If they cannot help, CRC tries to refer the
person to an appropriate agency, such as
the police or SBI, Smith said.
Regarding confidentiality, Smith said,
"all our information is confidential unless
the person wants to share the information
himself or herself."
The CRC keeps statistics on how
many cases of each type and category of
people it handles, and twice a year (late
November and May) reports those figures
to the City Council and the County Board
of Commissioners, Smith said. Their
reports will now include the numbers of
cases brought in by gay men and lesbians.
Commenting on the action taken by
CRC, Lillian Powell, chair of Coalition
for Progressive Action, said, "We feel
that this is an accomplishment, but only a
first step in addressing this issue with the
City Council and County Board of
Commissioners. Our ultimate goal is
passage of a resolution which establishes
public policy of non-discrimination, in
which sexual orientation would be a pro
tected category.
Powell added, "It is essential that gay
men and lesbians bring cases of discrimi
nation to the attention of the CRC, so that
our cases are resolved, if possible, and if
not possible, at least recorded. ▼
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