Today, Nashville mayor Megan Barry announced the formation of a Council on Gender Equity, with local hero Jack White among the flagship members.

According to The Tennessean, White is part of a 45-member council tasked with providing the mayor with “data-informed recommendations and advice to address systemic differences in benefits and opportunities that might be unfairly provided to one gender but not another.”



White appeared alongside the mayor during today’s announcement. Speaking to members of the press, White argued that “government, business, and the arts should all work toward the same goal of discouraging sexism, mistreatment, and unfair wages of people who do not wish to label their own personal gender or sexual preference,” The Tennessean notes. “A society can prosper with incredible success when gender is not blocking progress, and is fair to all members of that society,” White said in his remarks.

Update: Read a transcript of White’s full remarks below.

This is not White’s first foray into local politics. He previously served on former Mayor Karl Dean’s Nashville Music Business Council.

This morning we are coming together to discuss an important challenge we face as a diverse city pic.twitter.com/9PMC1dYSFP — Megan Barry (@MayorMeganBarry) July 13, 2016

Thanks to Jack White, musician and business owner, for joining our Council on Gender Equity. @thirdmanrecords pic.twitter.com/rVL8W3Sen0 — Megan Barry (@MayorMeganBarry) July 13, 2016

Our Nashville Council on Gender Equity: pic.twitter.com/vaz7rs6EWd — Megan Barry (@MayorMeganBarry) July 13, 2016