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Every Day, My Son Lives with Discrimination Leslie Barnes

Republican-Led Columbus City Council Passes LGBT Non-Discrimination Ordinance September 15, 2015

Columbus4 Governor Mike Pence’s hometown just took a big step forward tonight: Moments ago, the Columbus City Council—comprised entirely of Republican members—unanimously passed an ordinance protecting LGBT people from discrimination in the city. The Council had previously passed the ordinance on initial reading earlier this month.

Our campaign manager Chris Paulsen released this statement, thanking the members of the City Council for affirming core Indiana values of fairness and Hoosier hospitality:

“Tonight, after more than a decade of grassroots work and local debate, the Columbus City Council unanimously updated the state’s oldest human rights ordinance to include sexual orientation and gender identity. This is a major win for gay and transgender Hoosiers in Columbus, but it’s also a major boost for the effort to update Indiana’s civil rights law to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

“This outcome is what happens when we work together and listen to each other. Hoosiers understand that these kind of protections help our state and our cities become stronger, more welcoming places where people want to work and live.

“I hope state lawmakers understand that the time has come for Indiana, like Columbus, to send the message that gay and transgender people are welcome here. Thank you to everyone who worked tirelessly in Columbus and to everyone across Indiana who will join us in the coming months to fight for statewide protections.”

Columbus is just the latest in the growing chorus of Indiana municipalities to pass an LGBT non-discrimination ordinance. Over the summer, Zionsville, Martinsville, Terre Haute have all adopted similar ordinances in the wake of the so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act in April.

Tonight’s victory in Columbus demonstrates that Hoosiers in all communities across the state know discrimination is wrong—and agree that our laws should be updated to protect LGBT people. Now, with the growing bipartisan momentum from Columbus, it’s time for Indiana lawmakers to act to secure statewide protections for LGBT Hoosiers, no matter what city or municipality they call home.

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