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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDefeat Of Houston LGBT-Rights Measure May Have Broad Impact
David Crary and Juan A. Lozano, Associated Press Updated 1:51 pm, Wednesday, November 4, 2015
HOUSTON (AP) The landslide defeat of a nondiscrimination ordinance in Houston has stunned LGBT-rights activists across the nation. They're now bracing for their opponents in other states to seize on the successful tactic of stoking fears over transgender people's access to public restrooms.
By a 61-to-39-percent margin, voters in America's fourth largest city on Tuesday rejected a broad equal-rights ordinance extending protections in employment, housing and public spaces on the basis of race, sexual orientation, gender identity and other categories. Opponents prevailed with a campaign that dubbed the measure "the bathroom ordinance" and raised the specter of male sexual predators invading women's restrooms.
The outcome was "a devastating blow to equality," said the Human Rights Campaign, a national group advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
"It's almost unbelievable that this could happen in a city like Houston," said the campaign's president, Chad Griffin. "But make no mistake: If we don't double down today, we'll face the same thing again and again in cities across the nation."
MORE...
http://www.seattlepi.com/news/texas/article/Defeat-of-Houston-LGBT-rights-measure-may-have-6610935.php
LonePirate
(13,431 posts)They performed no Spanish language outreach in a city where 40% of the population is Hispanic.
EL34x4
(2,003 posts)Would have changed the outcome?
I'm not sure I do.
LonePirate
(13,431 posts)It makes you wonder what other ineptness from HRC plagued this campaign.
Not only that but too many of us on the left underestimate how dirty the right will play and how low they will sink to win an election. HRC was clearly not prepared for the opposition in TX where far right hatred and power is at or near the apex.
DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)To start saying we need to saw the T of LGBT, with Germaine Greer riding shotgun.
alarimer
(16,245 posts)Because assholes vote.
SusanCalvin
(6,592 posts)craigmatic
(4,510 posts)It should've been done in a presidential year and since Houston is either a majority black city or a majority minority city they should've made the focus police reform and added this on as an afterthought.
branford
(4,462 posts)The referendum was the result of losing a lawsuit. The Texas Supreme Court ordered that a referendum be promptly held or the law repealed.
http://www.advocate.com/texas/2015/07/24/texas-supreme-court-throws-out-houstons-lgbt-protections
Takket
(21,629 posts)So, a guy who wants to assault a woman in a bathroom will only do so if its legal for a Trans person to use said bathroom?
I don't think the scumbag cares where Trans people can or can't go to the bathroom...........
LostOne4Ever
(9,290 posts)madinmaryland
(64,933 posts)We have been going after male sexual predators for years and the opposition is using this to link transgender people to them. Ignorance wins out once again.
m-lekktor
(3,675 posts)that is fucking awful.
AZ Progressive
(3,411 posts)as simple as that
m-lekktor
(3,675 posts)from the gay issues commentators that will be coming through my facebook newsfeed if it hasn't already. I haven't been online very much the past few days and I honestly wasn't even aware this vote on this issue in Houston was going down yesterday!