KFOR-TV
Ed Doney Reporting
November 14, 2011
http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-ok-votes-on-gender-orientation-discrimination-in-workplace-20111114,0,5671086.story

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The City Council of Oklahoma City will vote Tuesday on whether to change their Equal Employment Opportunity personnel policy to specifically protect gays and lesbians.

One gay rights group says it would keep them from being discriminated against in the workplace.

Opponents say the change would infringe on their religious rights.

The policy change was the idea of Ward 2 Councilman Ed Shadid.

He told NewsChannel 4 that not updating Oklahoma City's employment policy has hurt the city's national perception.

Paul Blair, a Pastor with Fairview Baptist Church, says any change in the language is simply unnecessary.

"Why not provide a special class of protection for adulterers or a special class of protection for those that are addicted to internet pornography?" Blair said.

Tuesday's City Council vote would add the words "sexual orientation" to their policy that protects employees or applicants by providing equal opportunity for employment.

Currently, it specifically affords equal opportunity without regard to race, creed, ethnic origin, color, religion, disability, sex or age.

Blair is part of a group called Reclaiming America For Christ that distributed an e-mail saying sexual orientation policies negate the religious freedoms of citizens who disagree with homosexuality.

That measure passed, by the way, 7 - 2.

Will take another 12 years before they add "gender identity and expression" probably.

It's really frustrating that everybody is so spooked by adding language to protect gender orientation. If you get beat up for being male-bodied and dressing girly, the bully isn't going to ask you first if you are transgendered or just a femme gay guy. Or a metro straight guy. Nobody's handing out questionnaires.

The protections we need would benefit all people.