Orlando ordinance includes gay people

The City Council votes to add sexual orientation to its ordinance barring discrimination.

©Associated Press
December 3, 2002

ORLANDO -- Gay men, lesbians and bisexuals were added to Orlando's antidiscrimination law Monday on a 4-3 vote by the City Council.

The measure added "sexual orientation" to the list of classes already protected by the city, including race, national origin, religion, gender, disability, age and marital status.

Under the ordinance, employers will be prohibited from denying jobs, landlords won't be allowed to turn away renters and public accommodations won't be able to deny service because of a person's sexual orientation.

Violations could be punished by a $500 fine.

Businesses with fewer than six employees, landlords with fewer than four units, churches, religious groups and private clubs would be exempt.

Other Florida cities and counties that already extend antidiscrimination protection to gay men and lesbians include the cities of St. Petersburg, Tampa, Gainesville, Key West and Miami Beach, and Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

"Bigotry and prejudice are incongruent with fairness and justice," said Commissioner Daisy Lynum, who voted for the measure after listening to almost five hours of testimony from supporters and opponents. "I think we've uncovered closeted bigots recently, and that's sad."

The ordinance doesn't extend any special privileges to gays and lesbians, City Attorney Scott Gabrielson said at the beginning of the hearing.

Opponents disagreed.

"It would give legal status to a group of people based on their sexual orientation," Barbara Rushing, a former Orange County School Board member, testified.

But supporters argued that the ordinance would send out a message of tolerance.

"There is very little to lose with this amendment and so much to gain," said supporter Jim Brown.

Mayor Glenda Hood voted against the ordinance, claiming it wasn't necessary because the city already is inclusive.

"I believe good people can agree to disagree," Hood said.

Her vote was widely seen as an effort by the third-term mayor to better position herself for an appointment in Gov. Jeb Bush's or President Bush's administration. Hood also voted against the measure last month in a preliminary vote.

"There has been a lot of speculation that that's why she did it," said Commissioner Patty Sheehan, the council's only openly gay member. "I've never known her to condone discrimination."

Hood called such speculation "rumors."

"I'm the mayor of the city of Orlando and that's what my job is and that's what I'm focused on," Hood said.

A religious rights group, Liberty Counsel, had launched an e-mail campaign to get Hood to veto the measure if it passed. The mayor can veto a city ordinance within 24 hours of its passage. It would take five of the City Council's seven members to overturn the veto.

"What this is is a beginning of a broader agenda to ultimately push homosexual behavior on our community," said Mat Staver, president of the Orlando-based Liberty Counsel. "This is the biggest decision she will be faced with up to this time. The right decision is to veto this."

Hood said there would be no veto. "The council has made their decision and I believe it's their decision," she said.

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