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Home / Center News / Response to Human Rights Commissioner’s Anti-LGBT Remarks

Response to Human Rights Commissioner’s Anti-LGBT Remarks

October 23, 2019 by LGBT Life Center Leave a Comment

A member of the Virginia Beach Human Rights Commission recently expressed anti-LGBTQ remarks, saying that LGBTQ people suffered from “mental illness,” are an “abomination,” and that gender fluidity was “nonsense promoted to our children.”

You can see the full story reported by 13 News Now by clicking here.

Virginia Beach Human Rights Commissioner Dehumanizes LGBTQ+ Community

Norfolk, VA – Kenrick El, a member of the Virginia Beach Human Rights Commission (VBHRC), made comments on his Facebook page calling the LGBTQ+ community an “abomination,” saying homosexuals suffer from “mental illness,” and denied the existence of the transgender community while reinforcing inaccurate, outdated stereotypes. 

Disregard and contempt for the dignity of any human is counter to the mission of VBHRC, and LGBT Life Center does not believe the commission, or the commissioner, can legitimately claim to respect and safeguard all Virginia Beach citizens when a vulnerable minority population is declared to be mentally ill, an abomination, and subjected to prejudicial stereotypes.

Kenrick El’s statements do not promote “mutual understanding and respect among citizens, and the fulfillment of human rights,” as the commission is entrusted and sanctioned to do.

Therefore, we are calling on the commission to remove Kenrick El from VBHRC. We believe this is the most appropriate method to restore faith and legitimacy to the commission, and is a reasonable response to the defamatory comments of commissioner Kenrick El.

DIVERSITY TRAINING:

LGBT Life Center offers diversity training (also known as sensitivity training) to private and public organizations. Participants are guided through an inclusive and culturally competent session to help organizations create and maintain a welcoming, safe and supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community members.

For more information, please contact us at 757-640-0929 or at lgbtlifecenter.org.

Tell VBHRC How YOU Feel

Click here to post a comment on the Virginia Beach Human Rights Commission’s Facebook page.

Filed Under: Center News

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