Quick Hit: Finally Some Good News Out of North Dakota
The North Dakota Senate voted 27 to 19 today in support of a bill that adds gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals to the protected classes in the state Human Rights Act.Sen. Tom Fiebiger, D-Fargo, the prime sponsor of the proposal, said Senate Bill 2278 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
The bill would prohibit discrimination in housing, employment, credit transaction and use of public accommodation.
Thanks to readers for the heads up.
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It's a bit misleading for this article to list transgender people as protected by this bill. The bill prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, which is NOT the same as gender identity.
From the bill: "'Sexual orientation' means actual or perceived heterosexuality, bisexuality,
homosexuality, or gender identity or expression."
Link: http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/61-2009/bill-text/JARS0100.pdf
Actually the text of the bill puts gender identity under the definition of sexual orientation:
"19. Sexual orientation" means actual or perceived heterosexuality, bisexuality,
homosexuality, or gender identity or expression"
It may not be an accurate definition, but trans people are protected under this bill.
Oops, I took a call before replying and pleco got to it before me. Sorry for the duplicate response!
And ND did this after they passed a bill defining fertilized eggs as people.
I'm so confused by North Dakota...
Yeah, North Dakota...what a bunch of hypocrites.
This is good news nonetheless.
don't think supporting the protection of adult humans and supporting the protection of "unborn" humans is hypocritical.
I'm pro-choice, but just because gay rights and reproductive rights are both considered "liberal" topics, doesn't necessarily mean that it's hypocritical for a person to support one and not the other. There are plenty of pro-lifer gays and transgendered folks out there.
I'd say that it's much more hypocritical to support anti-choice and the death penalty (both considered "conservative" issues) than it is to simultaneously support anti-choice and gay rights.
Just to throw an example out there the Republican Mom with the gay son is not a hypocrite for simultaneously believing that a fetus is a human and her son should be allowed to have a job.
North Dakota is confusing! Either way this is one good thing coming out of that state. It is a step in the right direction. Perhaps, through I doubt it, other states will take the lead from North Dakota and form their own bills against discrimination. Just think, all these little steps up in the political system will lead to bigger and better things!