March rallies support of LGBTQ anti-discrimination policies in Georgia

Shouts of "equity, equality in Macon-Bibb" rose through downtown Macon on Saturday as about 50 marchers rallied in support of the LGBTQ community.

Bentley Hudgins, one of the organizers, said the rally promotes protections for private employment, public accommodations and fair housing for all and calls for the elimination of discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

Hudgins wants protections but without attaching criminal punishments to policy.

"This is a heart issue," Hudgins said from the podium. "This is something that requires education. It requires community and it requires relationships and tough conversations."

The event encouraged dissent against the recently passed Georgia Senate Bill 375 which allows state-funded child welfare organizations such as adoption and foster care agencies to refuse to place children with same-sex couples based on religious beliefs.

This story was originally published March 10, 2018 at 5:23 PM with the headline "March rallies support of LGBTQ anti-discrimination policies in Georgia."