Openly gay athletes Michael Sam and
Jason Collins this week announced their support for the Houston Equal
Rights Ordinance (HERO).
HERO prohibits discrimination in
housing, employment and public accommodations based on several
characteristics including race, religion, sexual orientation and
gender identity.
Opponents sued Houston officials after
they rejected a petition to put the ordinance up to a public vote.
The city said that opponents had failed to gather sufficient valid
signatures. But the Texas Supreme Court disagreed, ruling earlier
this year that the city must repeal the ordinance or place it on the
November ballot.
(Related: Houston
must repeal LGBT protections or put it on ballot, Texas Supreme Court
rules.)
Collins, the NBA's first openly gay
player, offered his support in a tweet: “No one should be
discriminated against because of race, age, religion, sexual
orientation or gender identity. #HERO #YESonProp1 #Houston.”
Collins retired last year.
Sam, the first openly gay player to be
drafted by the NFL, offered his support in a fundraising email for
the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest LGBT rights
advocate.
“I know first-hand what it feels like
to be unwelcome – to live an open and authentic life in a place
where you can be ostracized or even discriminated against for simply
being yourself,” wrote
Sam, who left professional football earlier this year. “That's
why as a Texas native I was thrilled when Houston passed the Houston
Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) last year... and equally disappointed
when opponents petitioned for its repeal this year. Now it's on the
ballot and it’s up to all of us to protect Houstonians from
discrimination.”
(Related: Michael
Sam cites mental health in tweeting departure from football.)