I'll try to be brief:
In January of this year, Gainesville, FL City Commission added gender-identity to its anti-discrimination ordinance.
Outraged by this, some local citizens formed an organization, calling themselves, "Citizens for Good Public Policy." CGPP organized a petition drive, claiming that their aim is to prevent men from using women's restrooms on the claim that they "feel like a woman inside." CGPP insists that they have nothing against the TG population, but that they don't want men stalking women & children in the restroom while pretending to be transsexual. The petition would put the issue on the Spring ballot & be subject to majority vote.
However, amazingly, the petition they were circulating is worded in such a way that if it goes to vote and passes, not only would gender-identity be
completely removed from Gainesville's anti-discrimination policy (rather than CGPP just requesting a compromise on the "bathroom issue"), but sexual orientation would also be removed from the
existing ordinance. It would then be perfectly legal to fire a lesbian just for being a lesbian; or to kick someone out of a restaurant who is TG; or to deny equal housing to a gay couple. Amazingly, too, is the fact that CGPP has the backing of such orginaztions as the Christian Coalition & the Thomas Moore Law Center, among others.
CGPP obtained about 3,000 more signatures than is required to get the issue on the Spring ballot.
BUT because of the deceptive measures they used to obtain signatures (basically saying 'sign here to keep men out of women's bathrooms'), many Gainesville citizens who signed this want to revoke their petition
AND the Supervisor of Elections is allowing them to do so, but only until the Elections office has finished the verification process on the petitions that were recieved.
A counter organization has now evolved called Equality is Gainesville's Business. City Commissioner Craig Lowe heads it, and our first planning meeting was held last week. They have provided e-mail copies of the list of people who have signed the petition so that we can approach those we know, educate them, & encourage them to revoke their petition. Tomorrow (August 6) Equality is Gainesville's Business is holding a press conference at City Hall to discuss the revocation process. Luckily it's my day off & I'll be able to attend.
OK, so it wasn't brief, but hopefully I've sufficiently briefed you.
It looks to be an arduous fight & will more than likely cost in excess of $50K. I don't consider myself an activist by any stretch of the imagination, but then I go & find myself here.
--Valerie
