The chairman of Horry County Council says for years she's been discriminated against because of her gender, and she says a conflict over scheduling is proof of male domination.

Gilland belongs to a group called the Coastal Alliance, an advisory board made up of local mayors from the different coastal towns and cities. Gilland is one of four women on the board.

The mayors formed the group years ago and asked the county chairman to sit on the panel, but the meeting time didn't fit Gilland's schedule.

The Coastal Alliance meets at 11:00 a.m. on one Wednesday per month, but Gilland has always had bible study at that time.

She said she asked each member of the Coastal Alliance to move the time to 1:00 p.m., and she was told that suited everyone.

"Twice, they all agreed. We even voted on it one time, but still the meetings are called at 11:00 a.m., and when I complained they finally said 'well, it's more convenient for us at 11:00, so too bad.'"

Gilland said, and the other mayors confirmed, a unanimous vote to change the time was taken in June, and the next two meetings were held at 1:00 p.m.

But Surfside Mayor Allen Deaton, the chairman of the Alliance, said Gilland missed those meetings.

"And so it was decided by consensus that we would go back to the previous time which is more convenient for the entire group," Deaton said.

Gilland, however, says because a vote was taken to change it, another vote would be needed to change it back. Gilland also added she was sick for one of the meetings and at a convention for another, and she said she doesn't think they were ever held at 1:00 p.m.

"The issue was whether they would respect me as chairman, having a conflict. They respected every other mayor when they had conflicts, and they didn't respect me," Gilland said.

Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes said the alliance was formed by the mayors -- the chairman was only invited later -- and he said despite the vote to change the meeting time, the mayors have the final say.

"This is just the way it is ... It's pretty simple. We're going to meet at 11," Rhodes said.

At a meeting Wednesday, Gilland asked Deaton at the end of the meeting about the time, and she was told it didn't matter because Gilland would only be on the board for another two months. Gilland's term on council ends then, and so will her tenure with the alliance.

She asked Deaton, "Did you take a vote on it (to change the time back to 11?)"

"No, it was just a consensus. It was just more convenient," Deaton said.

Gilland didn't fight it, and chalked it up to personal vendettas and a deep-seated way of handling women in public office.

"As far as I can see in the future, there will always be a difference in the way women in elected office are treated and men are treated."