Gender Identity Ordinance Is Put To Ft. Wayne City Council

[Butterfly]

Gender Identity Ordinance Is Put To Ft. Wayne City Council
Indiana's News Center
By Jeff Neumeyer
Story Published: Feb 9, 2010


http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/83946387.html


FORT WAYNE, IN (Indiana's NewsCenter) --- One Fort Wayne city council member wants to expand the city's human rights ordinance to ensure transgender individuals would be guaranteed the right to fair housing and employment protections.

A counterpart on council says he will try to stop the ordinance change before it even gets debated.

Democrat Mayor Tom Henry was a city councilman in 2002 when he was able to push through discrimination protections for Fort Wayne workers who are gays or lesbians.

Democrat 2nd District Councilwoman Karen Goldner is now proposing that the same kinds of protections based on sexual orientation be extended to people who identify with a gender other than the one they were born as, or who don't conform to traditional gender roles.

[Allamakee]

The proposal was delayed due to lack of votes

Gender identity measure delayed
Fort Wayne News-Sentinel.com (local newspaper)
By Bob Caylor
February 10, 2010

http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100210/NEWS/2100336


Then Councilwoman Karen Goldner, D-2nd, sponsor of the proposed amendments, declined to introduce her ordinance for two weeks. "I think it is very sad when we don't have enough votes to introduce" the amendments, she said. "But I didn't think I did." Councilman Glynn Hines, D-6th, was absent from Tuesday's meeting; Goldner believes she will be able to successfully introduce the bill with his support when he returns.



But even if it passes, it won't matter.  The proposal carries no penalty.

Ft. Wayne to look at transgender rights
WISHtv.com via Associated Press
Edited by Lindsay Eckert
February 7, 2010

http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/politics/Ft.-wayne-to-look-at-transgender-rights

However, because gender identity discrimination isn't covered under federal guidelines, the city's anti-discrimination agency could not punish that type of violation even if the council passes the proposed changes.