A relatively unknown documentary about a 1992 LGBT discrimination ordinance in Charlotte, North Carolina is a fascinating look at a time when the city was at the forefront of the fight for LGBT rights.
The film, Gay Life in the Queen City, was created by Wes Johnson and Chris Johnson. It features interviews and public remarks by activists, politicians, and ordinary citizens advocating for and against an ordinance banning discrimination based on sexual orientation.
The documentary shows how much has changed for LGBT rights in Charlotte over the decades. In the 1990s, there was no ordinance protecting LGBT people from discrimination in employment, housing, or public accommodations. Gay and lesbian couples were not allowed to marry.
Today, Charlotte is a more welcoming city for LGBT people. There is an ordinance protecting LGBT people from discrimination, and gay and lesbian couples can legally marry. However, the documentary is also a reminder that there is still work to be done.
The documentary is relevant today as anti-LGBT bills pop up around the country. These bills range from bans on drag shows to limits on the medical care that transgender people can receive.
Highlights from the Video
At 4:33, Charlotte’s first black mayor, Harvey Gantt, speaks in favor of the ordinance to protect gay and lesbian individuals from discrimination. He expresses his disappointment that the ordinance was controversial, stating that the bill should have been “rubber-stamped,” and passed without debate.
At 7:01, Dr. Stan Patton, an openly gay professor at UNC Charlotte, advocates for the ordinance by pointing out parallels between discrimination based on race and discrimination based on LGBT status. Later parts of the documentary are shot at Dr. Patton’s home in Plaza Midwood.
At 10:32, councilwoman Ella Scarborough advocates for the ordinance and discusses the role of religion and Christianity in civil rights history.
At 37:26, councilwoman Cyndee Patterson advocates for the ordinance by discussing the Bill of Rights and the United States’ value of diversity. Cyndee has remained a prominent figure in Charlotte politics and business into the 2020s.
At 42:52, councilman Pat McCrory, who would later become the governor of North Carolina who passed the infamous “bathroom bill” restricting transgender rights, speaks out against the ordinance by minimizing the issue of discrimination.
At 53:58, councilman Tom Mangum, who expresses ambivalence about the bill, appropriately concludes the documentary by wondering aloud whether the council made a mistake by failing to pass the ordinance.
Before watching, you should note: While many of the individuals in this documentary make powerful statements in favor of LGBT rights, others staunchly oppose the anti-discrimination ordinance. The statements made by those in opposition of the ordinance employ harmful stereotypes and may be stressful to watch for some viewers.
