BOONE, N.C. — The town council here passed unanimously two LGBT-inclusive measures at their March 19 meeting.

The Appalachian town, home to Appalachian State University, is now the third city in North Carolina to include both sexual orientation and gender-identity in city employment non-discrimination policies. The council also passed a resolution opposing an anti-LGBT, anti-family marriage amendment currently being pushed in the General Assembly by conservative Republicans and Democrats.

“We applaud the Boone council members and community leaders who stood up for fairness and equality,” said Ian Palmquist, Executive Director of Equality NC. “It’s time for more communities and our state government to make sure that no North Carolinians suffer from discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. We also celebrate their strong stand against putting anti-gay discrimination into our state constitution.”

The towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro also include both sexual orientation and gender-identity in non-discrimination policies. Other cities and county governments include only sexual orientation.