Shreveport Passes TBLG Rights Ordinance!

For the longest time the city of New Orleans was the lone municipality in the state of Louisiana that protected their TBLG citizens from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

They were joined last night by Shreveport, the  second largest city in the state of Louisiana. 

Mayor Cedric Glover had in 2009 signed an executive order in that protected GLBT city employees from discrimination.

On a 6-1 vote last night, the Shreveport City Council passed the Fairness Ordinance, that adds gender identity and sexual orientation to the classes of people protected by is non-discrimination laws.

The lone NO vote was Councilmember Ron Webb, who let his homophobic flag fly before the vote and tried to postpone to vote so the haters would have time to mobilize and stir up hatred in an attempt to derail the vote.  For those of you TBLG folks in Shreveport who live in Webb's District E, y'all know what to do to him in the next elecion cycle. Punish him at the polls.  .

The Fainess Ordinance also protects BTLG Shreveport citizens from discrimination in the areas of employment, housing and public spaces.  It was pushed by PACE, People Acting For Change and Equality, a local group pushing for human rights advances in Northwest Louisiana.   They spearheaded the successful Be Fair Shreveport effort.  

“Discrimination is not only wrong, it’s bad for business,” said PACE political director Adrienne Critcher, who cited both ethical and economic reasons for the ordinance.

Yes it is.  It's past time another Louisiana city joined New Orleans in protecting all its residents from discrimination.  

Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Alexandria, Monroe, where y'all at on this human rights issue?