As someone that is gender queer, and a spouse of someone who is MtF I am really having a moment of panic. Although we moved from Springfield, Missouri 4 years ago to Lebanon, Missouri, and recently to Oregon, I am still worried for my friends from Springfield, MO. Today was/is voting day to repeal the LGBT (including public restroom protections for Trans* individuals) protections ordinance that Springfield, MO put into legislation about a year ago. I'm worried that when polls close in 1 hour CST that my friends will not be able to guarantee housing, job security, or the ability to use their restroom of choice in public spaces, that I will have a crap storm on my hands. Do you have any words of encouragement? Advice? When the shtf?
The Springfield SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) bill was repealed, but the vote was fairly close:
Final Count - 100% of precincts reporting
City of Springfield Question 1
YES . . . . . . . . . . . .. 15,347 51.43%
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,493 48.57%
http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/politics/elections/2015/04/07/lgbt-protections-repeal-losing-late-counting/25440407/
I know how the vote turned out now. I moved away several years back, but my wife and I's friends are still there. When I posted I was panicked because I worry for my friends still there. I have been attempting to do damage control on facebook for all of my LGBT friends that live there. I'm overwhelmed at the moment, so sorry for the short response.
Very close vote! Keep on trying!!
:)
Quote"A lot of people of faith thought this ordinance neglected their constitutional and God-given rights," he said. "So it is a victory for the faith community."
Oh dear sweet Jesus.........
From my study of early church history I know that it wasn't uncommon for a community of 'Christians', who didn't agree with what another community of 'Christians' believed and held to be the truth, to betray them to the Romans as a means of getting rid of them. It doesn't cheer me at all to know that the spirit of those times is still alive and well.
I just worry how bad this insanity might get before society comes to its senses.
What bothered me about all of this is the fact that my wife and I couldn't really do anything. We moved from Springfield years ago, spent 4 years in a rural factory town in mid-Mo and we recently (within the last month) moved to Oregon. We are ok, but we both are concerned for or LGBT friends that still reside there. Especially our Trans* friends, most of which had recently came out to their workplaces and started HRT after the ordinance was originally passed. They are all now in fear for their homes, jobs, and arrest if they use their identified public restroom. I have been attempting to do damage control this evening and I'm thoroughly wiped out, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I'm soon going to be headed to bed. Oh, by the way, when I first posted this thread I think it was around 7pm my time zone and 9pm theirs, when the precincts started reporting. Oh, and another thing...around 80% ( I think it is higher) of the polling places were churches. Most of which were in favor of the repeal. The local NO repeal campaign is considering bringing up that fact as well as the voting violations of having YES repeal literature everywhere in too close proximity to the polling place. Hopefully the vote will get thrown out an a technicality.
Correct that on the time zones...6pm my time and 8pm theirs (as the polls were closing). Sorry, it has been a stressful evening.