Amendment 1 Fails, LGBT Protections Remain

It is about time the side for equality win on a referendum. Anti-queer folks in the city of Gainesville, Florida wanted to repeal an ordinance with protections for LGBT people which included housing, and employment, as well as allowing the city's estimated 100 transgender residents to use the bathroom of their choice.

The anti-queer side campaigned to eliminate these protections using their traditional scare tactics, ie: the law will allow men to enter into women's bathrooms.

It is with pleasure to be the first blog to officially call the vote in favor of the NO side as reported by the results page.

With 100% of the 34 precincts reporting the NO side (favoring equality) wins 58.32% versus the yes (anti-gay) sides 41.68%

Gainesville: Vote NO on Amendment One!

Conservatives in Gainesville Florida are attempting to take away protections that have been set out for LGBT people by using a ballot measure.

The ballot initiative says the following:

"Shall the City Charter Be Amended to prohibit the adoption or enforcement of ordinances, regulations, rules, or policies that provide protected status, preferences, or discrimination claims based on classification, characteristics, or orientations not recognized by the Florida Civil Rights Act. The act recognizes, race, color, creed, religion, gender, national origin, age, handicap, marital and familial status. Additionally, this amendment voids existing ordinances concerning sexual orientation, gender identity, and other ordinances inconsistent with this amendment."

This measure if passed on March 24th will take away Gainesville's right to protect groups that are not explicity listed in the Florida Civil Rights Act. Sadly, sexual orientation nor gender identity are protected classes in the states general civil rights protections laws.



Please vote against discrimination and help get the word out by canvassing and phone banking to ensure the defeat of Amendment 1 by going to Equality is Gainesville's Business.