Facebook: Missouri city to discuss anti-discrimination law
by
Daniel Winn
Posted: 11.28.2011 at 10:00 PM
Just last week the St. Louis suburb of Clayton passed a law to protect the rights of all residents equally.
The advocacy group "Promo" says Clayton joins St. Louis, Kansas city and two other St. Louis suburbs in offering protections for sexual orientation and gender identity.
Basically that means if a significant other is hospitalized, their gay or lesbian partner will be able to act as a spouse legally.
Here in Mid-Missouri, no cities have adopted the anti-discriminatory laws, but Columbia has discussed the issue.
Council member Fred Schmidt said, "I don't actually know how many people it is going to effect but it was brought forward so there must be a reason, one could argue for and against the morality of the issue, but there are people, they are here and they should be included."
Last week, Columbia Council members heard a first reading of a proposed anti-discrimination law.
The city's legal department is now drafting legislation to propose to the council.
If approved, the ordinance would redefine gender identity, regardless of the person's designated sex at birth.