A vote of four to three has passed the ordinance for the protection of transgender people in Gainesville.
Finally some good news for once!! lol
A vote of four to three has passed the ordinance for the protection of transgender people in Gainesville. City commissioners met last night to discuss anti-discrimination policies and allow citizen comment. Previously the ordinance included anti-discrimination of race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation, and last night's discussion was to get "gender identity" into the mix. Those who opposed the ordinance were City Commissioners Ed Braddy, Rick Bryant, and Scherwin Henry. Commissioner Braddy opposed the ordinance for the second time, unhappy with the idea that it's causing other people to change. Commissioner Craig Lowe, a supporter of the ordinance, argued that "gender identity" requires legitimate protection. And with the ordinance being passed four to three, the City of Gainesville joins a list of six other cities and counties in Florida that have passed anti-discrimination policies protecting transgender people.
Maybe Ed Braddy, Rick Bryant, and Scherwin Henry need to walk a mile in our shoes and then see how they feel about this issue!
Comments
How long?
Too Long!
KJT
"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose"
Janis Joplin
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” - Turkish Proverb
How about they...
... walk that mile with their shoes on the wrong feet.
Confusion?
That would just make their feet sore. They should but everything on backwards then walk a mile.
I feel that they are confused on the issue of "Gender Identity"
People like this City Council Member Should do their homework before speaking
http://wkrg.com/news/article/transgender_bathroom_ordinance/...
The answers to all of life's questions can be found in the face of a true friend
The answers to all of life's questions can be found in the face of a true friend
After reading "SHOES" from this site
Holly
One of the most difficult things to give away is kindness.
It usually comes back to you.
Holly
Thankfully,
we already have them in the UK, the only third world country to be so!
Angharad
Angharad
It comes down to two simple concepts
Practicing common courtesty and not inflicting your religous and personal beliefs on others.
Easy in concept, hard in reality.
Or you can remember the old saw, 'Your personal freedom ends one inch prior to your fist hitting my nose,' or something to that effect.
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
A good step
I live about an hour away from Gainesville so I've been following this story for a while. Most of the controversy surrounding the ordnance was focused on the issue of public restrooms. That's not surprising really; when transgender rights come up it seems to always end up as a debate about restroom usage.
I understand the concerns of the general public - not agree with them, just understand them. I used to share them; I didn't understand the issue or the feelings that had always been a part of me. When you couple a lack of knowledge with legal wording that is open to interpretation, you get confusion, anger and fear.
The funny, and sad, part of this? Trangender persons have been using those public restrooms all along, and no one ever noticed. All the ordnance does is protect their right to do so, along with protection from discrimination in housing and the workplace.
This is a step in the right direction, and as we all have heard, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Lao Tzu was right, but I find more encouragement in the words of Gainesville city commissioner Craig Lowe, who said:
I also find it encouraging that this ordnance passed, even narrowly, after the commission listened for two hours to a standing-room only crowd that was almost entirely in opposition to it. I'd like to think they were at least partially inspired by the tremendous courage it took for two transgendered persons to stand up in the face of such hostility and address the commission. I'm not faulting others in the community who remained silent in any way, I just find it very inspiring that two were willing to - expose themselves - to stand up for their rights.
Scott
-- Moliere
Bree
The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense.
-- Tom Clancy
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