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Last active December 31, 2015 01:59
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Fairness Ordinance and LGBTQ Anti-Discrimination.md

Metro Council Members,

By now I’m sure you’ve already seen the news from Shreveport’s council meeting last night where they passed the Fairness Ordinance alongside their annual budget. The Fairness Ordinance prevents discrimination in housing, employment and public spaces against their fellow citizens in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. It was an important step forward for their city and passed 6-1. As you know, Louisiana doesn’t have any protections at the state level for these members of our community, so it’s important to codify it on the local level. In doing this last night, they join New Orleans as the only other city in Louisiana to have any sort of LGBTQ anti-discrimination legislation.

The Human Rights Campaign recently released report cards rating cities in America on municipal equality. If you haven’t yet seen them, I encourage you to; the scores released were quite shocking. New Orleans scored a whopping 91/100 (and HRC considers them an all-star). Shreveport scored a 16—and now, that should rise with the passage of the Fairness Ordinance. Baton Rouge scored a 7. We were in the bottom 3.5%—one of the lowest scores given.

I had hoped that our great city would be progressive on this issue and be a leader in the state, but I’m afraid that opportunity has passed us. It’s important for us now to work together on a similar ordinance to keep pace. It’s time to fight for fairness in our city.

Thanks,

Logan Leger

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