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Lobbying for Change

Write a letter in support of FACE's goal to amend Fairfax County's Human Rights Ordinance to include protects against discrimination based on sexual orientation and to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation in county employment and contracting. Send a copy to the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and to your local supervisor. Please also send a carbon copy to us at FACE so that we can know that you have written.

SAMPLE LETTER
 

Dear Chairman Hanley:

As someone who lives/works/shops in Fairfax County, I urge you and the Board of Supervisors to broaden the Fairfax County Human Rights Ordinance to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.  I also urge you to amend other Fairfax County code provisions to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation in county employment and contracting.

All of us are hurt when discrimination is permitted to continue against any one group.  Arlington, Alexandria, the District of Columbia, and Montgomery and Prince George's Counties have already moved to protect those who live and work in their jurisdictions.  Fairfax County must keep pace to compete successfully for the types of forward-thinking businesses and high-tech workforce it is trying to attract.

Sincerely,

SEND YOUR LETTERS OR POSTCARDS TO: 

• Chairman Kate Hanley, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

 
• Katherine K. Hanley, Chairman (D-At-Large)

Fairfax County Government Center 
12000 Government Center Parkway, Ste. 530 
Fairfax, VA  22035 
Phone: 703-324-2321, TTY 703-324-2319
Web response form: www.co.fairfax.va.us/gov/bos/chair/feedback.htm
 
• Gerry Hyland, Vice Chairman  (D-Mt. Vernon) 

Mount Vernon Governmental Center 
2511 Parkers Lane 
Alexandria, VA  22306 
Phone: 703-780-7518, TTY 703-780-3642
E-mail: mountvernon@co.fairfax.va.us
 
• Sharon Bulova (D-Braddock) 

Old Chapel Square Elementary School 
4414 Holborn Avenue 
Annandale, VA  22003 
Phone: 703-425-9300, TTY 703-978-7973
E-mail: braddock@co.fairfax.va.us
 
• Gerald E. Connolly (D-Providence) 

8739 Lee Highway 
Fairfax, VA  22031 
Phone: 703-560-6946, TTY 703-207-9407
E-mail: provdist@co.fairfax.va.us
 
• Michael R. Frey (R-Sully) 

Fort Hill Building 
5900 Centreville Road, Suite 205 
Centreville, VA  20121 
Phone: 703-378-9393, TTY 703-631-3086 
 
• Penelope A. Gross (D-Mason) 

Mason Governmental Center 
6507 Columbia Pike 
Annandale, VA  22003 
Phone:  703-256-7717, TTY 703-642-3540
E-mail: mason@co.fairfax.va.us
 
• Catherine M. Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill) 

North County Governmental Ctr. 
12000 Bowman Towne Drive 
Reston, VA  20190 
Phone: 703-478-0283, TTY 703-742-0348
E-mail: hntrmill@co.fairfax.va.us
 
• Dana Kauffman (D-Lee) 

Franconia Governmental Center 
6121 Franconia Road 
Alexandria, VA  22310 
Phone: 703-971-6262, TTY 800-828-1120 (Va. Relay Ctr.)
E-mail: leedist@co.fairfax.va.us
 
• Elaine McConnell (R-Springfield) 

West Springfield Govt. Center 
6140 Rolling Road 
Springfield, VA  22152 
Phone: 703-451-8873, TTY 703-455-6691
E-mail: springfield@co.fairfax.va.us
 
• Stuart Mendelsohn (R-Dranesville) 

McLean Governmental Center 
1437 Balls Hill Road 
McLean, VA  22101 
Phone: 703-356-0551, TTY 703-356-5320 
 
• FACE

 
• Fairfax Alliance for Citizen Equality 

P.O. Box 346 
Annandale, VA  22003-0346 
Phone: 993-3970
 

• The Fairfax Alliance for Citizen Equality (FACE) is a non-partisan, non-sectarian coalition, which has formed to encourage the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to amend the Fairfax County Code to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. 
• It is already illegal in Fairfax County to discriminate based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, marital status, age, familial status, or disability.  Protections exist in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, education, credit, and county contracting.
• Talented individuals in our county who are gay or perceived as gay can be discriminated against - with no protection or recourse.  In this climate, some of our citizens who believe such discrimination is wrong are reluctant to act fairly, afraid of controversy or of being targeted for discrimination themselves. 
• Jurisdictions that already have taken action to protect their citizens against such unfair discrimination include Arlington County and the City of Alexandria in Virginia, Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland, and the District of Columbia.
• Fairfax County must keep pace to compete successfully for the forward-thinking businesses and employees it is trying to attract.  Discrimination that denies any individual the opportunity to contribute fully to the common good is a deterrent to our county's continued prosperity.  Permitting discrimination and the fear of discrimination to continue unabated is wrong.  It is time for our Board of Supervisors to amend the Fairfax County Code.
• Every voice will count as we work together to ensure that all persons are afforded equal opportunity to participate in our community life free from discrimination.