By unanimous vote, the Utah cities of Murray and Moab passed measures protecting gays from housing and employment discrimination.

Equality Utah set a goal to pass such protections in 10 Utah municipalities by the end of 2010. When they announced that goal, I thought they were nuts, but Murry made it 8 and Moab 9.

The municipalities are: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Park City, Logan, West Valley, Murray, Moab, Taylorsville and Summit County.

Cidar City came close, but wimped out.

Link to Salt Lake Tribune article:

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50643648-76/discrimination-utah-ordinances-anti.html.csp



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2010 01:44AM by MJ.

That's really great news. I'm really surprised they got it passed.

you know that people will find ways around it if they want to.

They will say things like "You're over-qualified," or "We've hired somebody else," or "we've got an applicant with more experience," etc, etc.

But it's a beginning, and civil rights have to start somewhere.

When someone can be fired for being gay, then the stated reason is, they are gay. When a person can actually fire someone for being gay, it teaches the message that gays don't have the same rights as everyone else.

Yeah, the bigots can still find ways around it, but they can not vocalize and reinforce the idea that gays do not deserve to hold jobs.

Then it also give gays more courage to be open at work, so more people will know they are working with a gay person. There is plenty of evidence that when a person knows a gay person, that person is more likely to accept gays.

So, from a sociological standpoint, It makes it harder for the hate mongers to get their message of that out, and easier for the gays and their supporters to get their message out. Eventually this will help bring about social change as well as the legal change.

Not the values of the Utahns I know! I'm quite sure these ordinances are being passed mostly in order to avoid legal troubles and bad press that are likely to become more of a problem in the near future.

However, there are subtle shifts occurring in the philosophy of Utahns in general, and Mormons in particular (BKKP being a notable exception, and perhaps the most reactionary of the Mormon hierarchy). I suppose city ordinances like these will help speed these changes, even as the most homophobic elements of society die off or are dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

I thought that this was a already a federal law!

I understand the discussion was intense but in the end they passed it. I do not have a link. A friend who lives in Cedar just called to inform me... Will look for something in the news.

From the comments that follow the article:

"Has it dawnwed on anyone's perceptions that though homosexuals/lesbians, and transgender people have rights under law, they cannot be considered a protected class. Because a known abuser of alcohol or drugs wants to drive a semi does not mean he/she should have protected hiring status. There are many who cannot easily find jobs or housing, such as ex cons, others having known morals or ethics issues, etc.. Why should homeowners, employers not receiving state or federal subsidies be forced to give privileged status to a group practicing a deviant lifestyle. In fact, to force something such as this upon an unsuspecting public is a violation of their civil rights and create incredible legal issues."

Sigh. First, it's not deviant. Being gay is not equivalent to driving drunk either.

Gays are not asking for "privileged status," but are pointing out that statutes are needed simply to insure equal status.