City Council Members Elisa Chan, Carlton Soulos, and Ivy R. Taylor Vote Nay
This democratic-leaning city has followed Houston, Austin, Dallas, and Ft. Worth, Texas and passed, 8 to 3, on September 5, a protection section that adds sexual orientation and gender identity to its existing nondiscrimination ordinance. The ordinance which protects LGBT people from discrimination in public accommodations, employment, and housing takes effect immediately.
What’s Involved With the Ordinance?
It affects city employees, city contracts, housing and city officials as well as members of municipal boards and commissions. It also applies to restaurants and other businesses, making it unlawful to deny any services available to the general public on the basis of sexual orientation or any of the other protected classes. No person or group is required to support or advocate “any particular lifestyle or religious view.
Not all U.S. cities have enacted similar ordinances, but two hundred have ordinances in effect that prohibit bias by municipal employees or in city contracts over someone’s race, sex, age, religion or sexual orientation.
Democratic Mayor Julian Castro, who voted for the LGBT inclusive ordinance called the vote a “victory for fairness.”
Before the Vote
There was heated debate in the packed City Hall of San Antonio, the seventh largest city in the United States, before the vote. Preachers and statewide GOP politicians spoke out against the ordinance primarily on religious grounds. Governor Rick Perry, who is not running for re-election, expressed his opposition as did Todd Staples, who is running for Lieutenant Governor.
Attorney General Abbott sent a letter to Castro stating that the passage of the ordinance would most likely “envelope the city in costly litigation. The obvious problem with this provision is that it allows government to impose thought and speech control over any city official or board or commission member who may hold deep religious beliefs that are counter to the ordinance.”
Just last month. Staff Sergeant Eric Alva, a wounded gay marine vet in support of the LGBT protections was booed at the City Council. Democrat District 9 Councilwoman Elisa Chan who caused a brouhaha when her former aide recorded a secret tape during a May meeting to discuss a proposal to update the nondiscrimination ordinance. The aide shared the tape with the San Antonio Express News in which Chen called gay people “disgusting” and argued that gays should not be allowed to adopt children.
Chan later defended her remarks as her personal beliefs and cited the Constitution’s promise of Freedom of Speech as well as her right to privacy. Said Chan: “just because I disagree with the lifestyle of the LGBT community doesn’t mean I dislike them.” She received a standing ovation for her words in this conservative state.
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