Simply Equal

Last updated

Simply Equal is a grassroots coalition that formed to petition the city of Lawrence, Kansas, to add the words "sexual orientation" to its Human Relations Ordinance. In May 1995, Lawrence passed the "Simply Equal Amendment," thus becoming the first city in Kansas to prohibit discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation.

Contents

Simply Equal was formed in 1991 and was led by the newly organized Freedom Coalition. Active supporters were the Lawrence National Organization for Women chapter, the American Civil Liberties Union, the League of Women Voters, the Kansas University Ecumenical Christian Ministries, and the Kansas University LesBiGay Services group. Lynne Green and Ben Zimmerman were co-chairs of Simply Equal.

Sidenote: Lawrence, Kansas actually became the second municipality in the state to adopt such legislation. Wichita, Kansas was the first in the 1970s. The Wichita anti-discrimination legislation was repealed in a referendum vote shortly after its installation. [1]

History

Background

Tension surrounding gay and lesbian issues had been mounting for years in Lawrence, in Kansas, and in the United States: [2]

In 1983 Kansas became the first state to amend its incest law specifically to make same-sex incest a crime. [3] In 1986 the Lawrence City Commission refused to acknowledge Gay and Lesbian Awareness Week. After complaints from the LGBT community, the Lawrence Department of Human Relations conducted a study which confirms local incidents of discrimination against gays and lesbians. They recommend that the words "sexual orientation" be added to the city's existing anti-discrimination ordinance. For two years, the issue was left untouched. In 1988, pressured by the local group Citizens for Human Rights in Lawrence, the city commission decided to vote on adding sexual orientation to the city's existing anti-discrimination ordinance. Opposition existed from the Alliance of Citizens for Traditional Values, who stated that the city's study does not prove discrimination. They argued that including "sexual orientation" would force local businesses to establish affirmative action for gays. Influenced by the religious right, the commission votes 3–2 against the proposed amendment. In 1989 the Christian Coalition of America was founded by Pat Robertson.

Polarizing issue in the 1995 City Commission elections

On November 16, 1994, after more than two year's work, Simply Equal delivered copies of its report to City Hall with a cover letter requesting a study session and passage of the amendment. On January 18, 1995, over 100 people attended the study session at City Hall. Simply Equal co-chairs Lynne Green and Ben Zimmerman, together with Dennis Saleebey (chair of the KU task force on lesbian, bisexual, and gay concerns), spoke in favor of the amendment. Rev. Leo Barbee opposed it. At the end of the study session, City Commissioner Doug Compton presented the commission with a list of 33 questions to which he would like answered before the amendment goes to a vote. [4]

Of the thirteen candidates who ran in the primary election, eight supported amending the Human Relations Ordinance to include sexual orientation (or Simply Equal). On February 28, the primary election narrowed the field to six candidates to run for three Commission seats in general election. The Freedom Coalition supported Lena Johnson (who lost), John Nalbandian (a current commissioner up for re-election who came in first), and Allen Levine (who finished sixth). Doug Compton, a current commissioner up for re-election and still undecided on Simply Equal, came in fourth after Bonnie Augustine and Jo Barnes, and just ahead of Carl Burkhead, all of whom opposed Simply Equal. In summary, a Simply Equal supporter received the most votes, followed by four Simply Equal opponents, and a sixth person who supported Simply Equal. [4]

Shortly after the Primary election, Doug Compton announced that he would oppose the amendment and planned to ask Commission to vote on the issue before general election. [5] At that time, three City Commissioners opposed Simply Equal and two supported it. However, after talking with the City Manager and other commissioners, Compton decided not to call for a vote on the amendment before the April 4 general.

On the April 4 General election, Joh Nalbandian came in first. Allen Levine, who took sixth place in the Primary election, took third place, just 16 votes behind Bonnie Augustine, a Simply Equal opponent.

Simply Equal passed on May 2, 1995 with a 3–2 vote. "The ordinance change sends a very powerful message to people that Lawrence won't tolerate discrimination based on sexual orientation," Zimmerman said. "People who feel they have been discriminated against can now file complaints with the human relations office." [6]

Ray Samuel, director of Lawrence's Human Relations department, agreed that many of the opponents who spoke to the commission Tuesday were misinformed. Businesses or landlords would not be required to ask people their sexual orientations on an application nor would businesses need to hire a certain number of homosexuals would be required, Samuel said. Religious organizations would not be required to hire homosexuals. "There are no special rights or privileges being granted to anyone," he said. "The amendment provides a vehicle to protect all the citizens of Lawrence from unlawful discrimination. We want to make sure no one is denied the opportunity to make a living because of their sexual orientation, that is what this is all about." [7]

Arguments for and against Simply Equal

Prior to the vote, residents were invited to speak at a public hearing in support of or against Simply Equal. [8]

Proponents

Lynne Green, co-chair of Simply Equal, said that since 1986 four separate task forces organized to study the problem of discrimination have unanimously recommended the addition of sexual orientation to the city's human relations ordinance. She told the commission that Simply Equal had rallied the support of over 1,000 Lawrence residents, 300 businesses and 65 churches and synagogues.

Though all of the commissioners had previously taken stands on the issue, more than fifty people made their way to the front of the crowded meeting room to speak out for or against the amendment. Supporting the amendment were individuals from the community, as well as religious leaders and representatives of organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and Amnesty International. many spoke out against the irrational rhetoric and misinformation they said were widely used by opponents of civil rights. They specifically attacked the claim that Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual people do not need legal protection against discrimination and that anti-discrimination ordinances that included sexual orientation are a granting of "special rights."

"Many people are excluded from the US Constitution," said Maurice Bryan, director of Affirmative Action at the University of Kansas. "Our history of civil rights battles strives to reinclude these people." Bryan said that there are only two side issues surrounding the proposed amendment: "Either we are comfortable with discrimination or we are not."

Opponents

Many of them told the commission that even though they were against the amendment, they were not homophobes and did not support discrimination/against Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual people. Several voiced concerns about increase cost for investigation and litigation they claimed the new ordinance would incur. Eric Schmidt, a Lawrence resident, said the ordinance reeked of "heavy-handed government," and that its passage would send the city "down a dark and slippery path."

Many opponents attempted to make religious or moral arguments against the ordinance saying that it would erode the city's moral fabric and that they didn't want their children to be exposed to values they didn't agree with. The Reverend William Dulin told the commission that "unless we have the moral courage to stand against the evils that underlie (the amendment), this city is going to be up against something that (it) will not like."

Related Research Articles

Romer v. Evans, 517 U.S. 620 (1996), is a landmark United States Supreme Court case dealing with sexual orientation and state laws. It was the first Supreme Court case to address gay rights since Bowers v. Hardwick (1986), when the Court had held that laws criminalizing sodomy were constitutional.

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 1992.

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in the Philippines</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals in the Republic of the Philippines have faced many difficulties in their homeland, such as prejudice, violence, abuse, assault, harassment and other forms of anti-LGBT rhetoric. Many LGBT Filipinos are met with mixed attitudes and reactions by their families, friends and others in their communities, as well as professionals, educators, their national public officials, politicians, attorneys and others working for the government and the rest of the general population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Equality Kansas</span> Statewide gay rights advocacy group

The Equality Kansas, formerly Kansas Equality Coalition, is a statewide LGBT rights organization whose mission is to end discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. The coalition seeks to ensure the dignity, safety and legal equality of all Kansans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Albania</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Albania face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents, although LGBT people are protected under comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation. Both male and female same-sex sexual activities have been legal in Albania since 1995, but households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex couples, with same-sex unions not being recognized in the country in any form.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Save Our Children</span> US anti-gay political coalition formed in 1977

Save Our Children, Inc. was an American political coalition formed in 1977 in Miami, Florida, to overturn a recently legislated county ordinance that banned discrimination in areas of housing, employment, and public accommodation based on sexual orientation. The coalition was publicly headed by celebrity singer Anita Bryant, who claimed the ordinance discriminated against her right to teach her children biblical morality. It was a well-organized campaign that initiated a bitter political fight between gay activists and Christian fundamentalists. When the repeal of the ordinance went to a vote, it attracted the largest response of any special election in Dade County's history, passing by a more than 2-to-1 margin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQI+ rights at the United Nations</span>

Discussions of LGBTQI+ rights at the United Nations have included resolutions and joint statements in the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), attention to the expert-led human rights mechanisms, as well as by the UN Agencies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Michigan</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Michigan enjoy the same rights as non-LGBTQ people. Michigan in June 2024 was ranked "the most welcoming U.S. state for LGBT individuals". Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Michigan under the U.S. Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas, although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy law. Same-sex marriage was legalised in accordance with 2015's Obergefell v. Hodges decision. Discrimination on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity is unlawful since July 2022, was re-affirmed by the Michigan Supreme Court - under and by a 1976 statewide law, that explicitly bans discrimination "on the basis of sex". The Michigan Civil Rights Commission have also ensured that members of the LGBT community are not discriminated against and are protected in the eyes of the law since 2018 and also legally upheld by the Michigan Supreme Court in 2022. In March 2023, a bill passed the Michigan Legislature by a majority vote - to formally codify both "sexual orientation and gender identity" anti-discrimination protections embedded within Michigan legislation. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the bill on March 16, 2023. In 2024, Michigan repealed “the last ban on commercial surrogacy within the US” - for individuals and couples and reformed the parentage laws, that acknowledges same sex couples and their families with children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Georgia (U.S. state)</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Georgia enjoy most of the same rights as non-LGBTQ people. LGBTQ rights in the state have been a recent occurrence, with most improvements occurring from the 2010s onward. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1998, although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy law. Same-sex marriage has been legal in the state since 2015, in accordance with Obergefell v. Hodges. In addition, the state's largest city Atlanta, has a vibrant LGBTQ community and holds the biggest Pride parade in the Southeast. The state's hate crime laws, effective since June 26, 2020, explicitly include sexual orientation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Pennsylvania</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania enjoy most of the same rights as non-LGBTQ people. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Pennsylvania. Same-sex couples and families headed by same-sex couples are eligible for all of the protections available to opposite-sex married couples. Pennsylvania was the final Mid-Atlantic state without same-sex marriage, indeed lacking any form of same-sex recognition law until its statutory ban was overturned on May 20, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Nebraska</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Nebraska may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Nebraska, and same-sex marriage has been recognized since June 2015 as a result of Obergefell v. Hodges. The state prohibits discrimination on account of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment and housing following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County and a subsequent decision of the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission. In addition, the state's largest city, Omaha, has enacted protections in public accommodations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Idaho</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Idaho face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ people. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Idaho, and same-sex marriage has been legal in the state since October 2014. State statutes do not address discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; however, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBTQ people is illegal under federal law. A number of cities and counties provide further protections, namely in housing and public accommodations. A 2019 Public Religion Research Institute opinion poll showed that 71% of Idahoans supported anti-discrimination legislation protecting LGBTQ people, and a 2016 survey by the same pollster found majority support for same-sex marriage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Kansas</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Kansas have federal protections, but many face some legal challenges on the state level that are not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Kansas under the US Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas, although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy laws that only apply to same-sex sexual acts. The state has prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations since 2020. Proposed bills restricting preferred gender identity on legal documents, bans on transgender people in women's sports, bathroom use restrictions, among other bills were vetoed numerous times by Democratic Governor Laura Kelly since 2021. However, many of Kelly's vetoes were overridden by the Republican supermajority in the Kansas legislature and became law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Alaska</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights in the U.S. state of Alaska have evolved significantly over the years. Since 1980, same-sex sexual conduct has been allowed, and same-sex couples can marry since October 2014. The state offers few legal protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, leaving LGBTQ people vulnerable to discrimination in housing and public accommodations; however, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBTQ people is illegal under federal law. In addition, four Alaskan cities, Anchorage, Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan, representing about 46% of the state population, have passed discrimination protections for housing and public accommodations.

Charter Amendment One was a citizen-led referendum defeated in Gainesville, Florida's city election on March 24, 2009. Titled the "Amendment to the City Charter Prohibiting the City from Providing Certain Civil Rights," the measure would remove the legal protections not explicitly covered under the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992, specifically with reference to sexual orientation and gender identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT employment discrimination in the United States</span>

LGBT employment discrimination in the United States is illegal under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity is encompassed by the law's prohibition of employment discrimination on the basis of sex. Prior to the landmark cases Bostock v. Clayton County and R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes Inc. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2020), employment protections for LGBT people were patchwork; several states and localities explicitly prohibit harassment and bias in employment decisions on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity, although some only cover public employees. Prior to the Bostock decision, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) interpreted Title VII to cover LGBT employees; the EEOC determined that transgender employees were protected under Title VII in 2012, and extended the protection to encompass sexual orientation in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairness Campaign</span>

The Fairness Campaign is a Louisville, Kentucky-based lobbying and advocacy organization, focusing primarily on preventing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Fairness Campaign is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(4) organization. The organization is a member of the Equality Federation.

References

  1. ↑ "May 4, 1995 Freedom Coalition Press Release".
  2. ↑ "LGBT Politics in Kansas". www.debtaylor.com.
  3. ↑ Stewart, Chuck, ed. (16 December 2014). Proud Heritage: People, Issues, and Documents of the LGBT Experience. ABC-CLIO. p. xlvii. ISBN   9781610693998 . Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  4. 1 2 "HIGHS AND LOWS IN THE SIMPLY EQUAL CAMPAIGN". Freedom Coalition Bulletin, Jun 21, 1995.
  5. ↑ mark Fagan (March 2, 1995). "Simply Douglas". Lawrence Journal World. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017.
  6. ↑ "'EQUAL' WINS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT" University Daily Kansan KU Lawrence, KS, April 26, 1995
  7. ↑ "ORDINANCE PASSED, BUT EDUCATION TO CONTINUE" University Daily Kansan KU Lawrence, KS, April 27, 1995
  8. ↑ "Lawrence Gets Human Rights Ordinance". KC News-Telegraph, May 12–25, 1995.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.