Gender-ID protection rejected 5-4 by council
Benjamin Lanka
The Journal Gazette
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100310/LOCAL/303109959 (http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100310/LOCAL/303109959)
Attendees of the City Council meeting applaud Councilman Glynn Hines' "yes" vote on a gender-identity bill Tuesday. The council voted 5-4 not to introduce the bill.
Republicans on the Fort Wayne City Council killed a bill to provide protection against discrimination on the basis of gender identity without even giving the proposal a debate.
The council voted 5-4 along party lines against introducing the bill, an unusual step that means the bill dies before officially coming to the council for discussion or a vote for approval.
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Gender Identity Bill Dead In The Water
By Brien McElhatten
Story Published: Mar 9, 2010 at 9:46 PM EST
http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/87180077.html (http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/87180077.html)
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana's NewsCenter) - In a 5-4 vote Fort Wayne City Council members voted down a proposal before it could even be debated.
"Obviously, it's very disappointing," said 2nd District Councilwoman Karen Goldner, the author of the gender identity bill. "I believe the role of a legislative body is to review legislation."
The bill, up for introduction during Tuesday evening's City Council meeting, contained a number of proposals to revise the city's employment regulations. The most controversial section called for a person's gender identity to be protected from discrimination. This includes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered individuals.
i live 40 or so miles from ft. wayne. and while working at walmart, i saw many types of different people from all across the gender spectrum. a town the size of van wert could not house all the people i saw, most customers, were not "gay friendly" to begin with to let alone go further for the trans people. there was a gender clinic in ft. wayne, but when i found their website it said they had moved but had no new phone number. the site has not been updated in six months, and i haven't gotten any response to my emails. it is my solemn belief that this organization no longer exists. but it still does emphasize that there was a need for it at one time, and possibly still is now, the lady at the y, (before throwing me out) referred me to their services. but from their website, i gatheres they were in ft. wayne for quite some time and now people like me don't have a place like that close enough to go to. and that's sad.