Two gay protections laws approved by
lawmakers have been upheld by voters in Bowling Green, Ohio, the
Toledo Blade reported.
The two measures, approved by city
leaders in August 2009, were challenged by a citizen's group and put
on the November 2 ballot.
One ordinance bans discrimination based
on sexual orientation, gender identity (transgender protections) and
HIV status – among other factors – in the area of housing, while
a second law covers public accommodations, education and employment.
Election night returns from the vote
suggested that only the housing ordinance would survive, but after
provisional ballots were counted both measures were narrowly
approved.
The group ONE
Bowling Green, with the support of the National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force, campaigned to keep the laws in place.
“This marks an important victory for
Bowling Green, where voters have affirmed that lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender people are part
of the fundamental social fabric of the city,” Rea
Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force,
said in a statement.
The campaign to dump the ordinances was
called BG Citizens
Voting No To Special Rights' Discrimination and was helmed by
three activists connected with the Tea Party movement and anti-gay
Christian-based groups.
“The battle for the sanctity of one
man, one woman marriage in communities like
ours starts with issues like these,” Marry Vollmar of the
group said.