HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Huntington’s City Council has added sexual orientation and veteran status to an ordinance that prohibits discrimination such as denying employment.
The fairness ordinance already bars discrimination based on race, religion and other personal identifiers.
The council voted 11-0 Monday to amend the ordinance, reports the Herald-Dispatch
Justin Murdock, a member of the statewide LGBT advocacy group Fairness West Virginia, says the vote indicates that Huntington is becoming a more progressive city.
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“I’m proud of this council. This ordinance has been such a breeze to work with everybody on, and that is an encouragement,” Murdock said before the vote. “I work with the disabled community in my day-to-day job, and this is a great thing for them. I see a lot of disabled veterans, and to have veterans recognized in this is important. And, on a very personal level, sexual orientation. You know, it’s time we say that discrimination is not going to be tolerated across the board.”
In all, six citizens spoke in favor of the change to the ordinance, and none spoke against it.
An effort to add sexual orientation to the city’s fairness ordinance was made in the mid-1990s, and was defeated by a 9-2 vote.
