Florida must join 21st century and make discrimination against LGBTQ people illegal | Opinion

One of the reasons I ran for public office in Miami is to make sure people know their rights. As a councilwoman, I’ve met many LGBTQ people who have experienced discrimination while at work, while searching for a place to live or while doing something as simple as shopping in a store. Though I’m grateful that Miami-Dade has a countywide ordinance that prohibits workplace discrimination, it pains me to tell people it is not against state or federal law.

That’s why I’m anxiously awaiting the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on three cases heard in October regarding workplace discrimination. The court has the opportunity to affirm that all LGBTQ people should be able to work hard and support themselves and their families without fear of harassment or discrimination.

Many people don’t realize that Florida is one of 30 states that don’t have nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people. The current patchwork of laws across our state is unfair and unworkable.

I grew up alongside many gay and lesbian friends, and I’ve been an ally of LGBTQ communities for many years. I gained tremendous empathy during the AIDS crisis as I saw how it affected the people around me.

I met my partner in the mid ‘90s. He was a veteran and worked for the state. Shortly after we began dating, I learned he identified as a trans female and was planning to transition. I was confused at first, but I was supportive because I wanted to be with him. So Althea made the transition. Health problems made some of the hormone treatment difficult, but she began living as her true self.

We married and I began to see firsthand the discrimination Althea faced in her everyday life. Although her job was stable, she was often harassed in public. The harsh reality is that millions of LGBTQ Americans report having experienced discrimination, including here in Florida.

In 2013, Althea was diagnosed with kidney disease and started dialysis treatment. She died in 2015. Although I lost my partner, I refuse to lose the fight for nondiscrimination protections in the state I call home. LGBTQ people are our friends, family members and neighbors. They live and work in all of our communities across America. And they urgently need protections.

I went into politics so that I could advocate for issues that are important to me. I realized that I was hearing campaign promises, but didn’t know whether candidates had real commitments to fighting the urgent problems that disproportionately impact the most vulnerable members of our community, including LGBTQ people of color, especially black and brown Americans.

Florida should have statewide protections for all LGBTQ people. If my state can’t do the right thing, then we need the federal government to do right by our friends and loved ones.

I hope the Supreme Court rules in favor of the workers who faced discrimination. No one who is well-qualified, talented and hardworking should have to live in fear of being fired or denied a job or promotion because of who they are. Dignity and respect should never depend on who you are, who you love or what zip code you call home.

Caroline Williams is a councilwoman for Area 8 in Miami.