Decatur Illinois Adds Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity to Human Rights Ordinance

from Rick Garcia, Equality Illinois
Decatur, IL, October 7, 2002

Tonight, the Decatur City Council voted 6-1 to add sexual orientation to that city's Human Rights Ordinance. For over two hours, the seven city council members took testimony from 58 people. Opponents (almost all Baptist and other fundamentalist ministers) claimed the ordinance was bad for small businesses, would violate religious institution's rights, provided special rights for pedophiles, voyeurs, prostitutes, and would draw God's wrath on the city of Decatur.

Linda Schroeder, the key organizer of this effort, did a bang up job of lining up brilliant testimony and providing the council members with an enormous amount of solid and reliable information about the ordinance. Linda is a member of the Decatur Human Rights Commission. She follows Greg Gravmeier, former president of GLAD, on the Commission. (Both are treasured Equality Illinois members and have been honored by us for their work in Central Illinois.)

Equality Illinois' newest board member, Pamela Sumners, provided expert legal opinion on the legislation and the Gay and Lesbian Association of Decatur's members and leadership provided the firm foundation for this legislative success.

A wide variety of folks testified in favor of the ordinance. The head of the Decatur Federation of Labor gave brilliant testimony, Professor Ramona Oswald provided solid polling data, and Lutheran (ELCA), Methodist, UCC, and Disciples of Christ ministers gave inspiring testimony. Equality Illinois also testified.

But, the most compelling testimony came from glbt citizens of Decatur. Some spoke out publicly for the very first time about being gay in Decatur.

The ordinance is gender identity inclusive.

The City Council of Bloomington will address a similar ordinance on the 28th. Equality Illinois is working with two other Illinois cities and one county planning strategy for local ordinances. More on that as it develops.

(Linda Schroeder sent the following additional information:   The Decatur Human Relations Commission unanimously passed a motion in June to recommend to the Decatur City Council that they add sexual orientation to Chapter 28 of the Decatur Human Rights ordinance with the definition of sexual orientation being: "Sexual orientation' means having or being perceived as having an emotional, physical, or sexual attraction to another person without regard to the gender of that person; or having or being perceived as having an orientation for such attraction; or having or being perceived as having a self-image or identity not traditionally associated with one's biological maleness or femaleness. 'Sexual Orientation' does not include a physical or sexual attraction to a minor by an adult.")