Date: Mon, 13 Mar 1995 11:14:09 -0500 From: David B. O'Donnell To: Multiple recipients of list GLB-NEWS Subject: Cincinnati Council's Reversal Kills Human Rts. Ordinance [ Send all responses to JAJONE02@UKCC.UKY.EDU only. Any responses to the list or list-owners will be returned to you. ] On Wednesday the Cincinnati City Council voted 5-4 to repeal the city's Human Rights Ordinance and remove "sexual orientation" from the protected categories. This follows a 1993 referendum in the city where voting residents voted 62% to 38% to remove this category from protected status. This referendum, however, has been struck down by the courts as unconstitutional due to its vagueness and its violation of homosexual and bisexual rights to free-speech and equal-protection under the law. (The referendum ONLY removed homosexual and bisexual from protection but technically left in heterosexual protections.) This court decision is up for appeal currently with the City Council backing the referendum. Wednesday's appeal does not affect the court case according to the news story. The City Council reversed its decision based on a single change in vote by Councilman Dwight Tillery who had previously supported the inclusion of "sexual orientation." Tillery claims that he changed his vote due to the referendum (where the majority voted on the rights of the minority). Carol Lippman, an activist for gay rights, stated to Tillery: "As your political career unfolds, you have revealed yourself as a political opportunist and a closet bigot." Tillery is up for re-election this year. Another Councilwoman who voted for keeping "sexual orientation" in the ordinance, Mary Ann Mazzo, claims (falsely however) that federal law will still protect gay people. [No federal laws prevent anyone from being fired in private employment, denied housing, credit, etc. for their sexual orientation.] So, does anyone have any info on: a. If the boycott of Cincinnati continues and addresses for the City Council and Cincinnati Tourist Bureau. b. A listing of the conventions going to Cincinnati? c. An address for donations to Tillery's opponents in the upcoming election? d. The 1995 National Convention for the Log Cabin Federation (Gay Republicans) is to beheld at the Westin Hotel in Cincinnati. Who can be contacted about having them at least move the conference out of the city to Covington or Dayton? ----Jeff Jones-----------------------------jajone02@ukcc.uky.edu--------------