Gay rights slip in Maine, advance in Kalamazoo

Gay rights advocates may be saddened about the election results in Maine, where voters overturned a law allowing same-sex marriage. But they are cheered by the action of voters in Michigan, specifically Kalamazoo.

An ordinance that grants anti-discrimination protections to gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender individuals was overwhelmingly approved Tuesday. As the Kalamazoo Gazette reports, “The ordinance passed 7,671 to 4,731, making Kalamazoo the 16th city in Michigan to adopt such a gay-rights ordinance that grants the protections in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodations.”

This all prompted a comment by Jarrett Barrios, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. “In Kalamazoo, Mich., fairness prevailed,” Barrios said in a statement. “Voters sent a message that all hardworking people should be treated fairly and have the chance to earn a living and provide for themselves and their families without fear of being fired for reasons that have nothing to do with their job performance.” (Barrios also noted that, in early results, a majority of voters in Washington state were supporting a law that expands the state's domestic partnership law.)

For those of a certain age, Kalamazoo is associated with the song “I’ve Got a Gal in Kalamazoo,” which gave us the immortal phrase “a real pipperoo.” Perhaps a younger generation will associate the city with gay rights instead.

-- Steve Padilla

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Photo: Two supporters of gay marriage watch election results come in Tuesday night in Maine. Credit: Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Roger]

I can hardly wait for a similar vote in Iowa. I will vote no to homosexuals being afforded the right to mariage.

[Peter]

It is unbelievably scary to see the topics of anti-discrimination law and gay marriage combined in the one article, as though they are related issues. Gay marriage is a contemporary topic, in the process of being debated in public forums, and which will inevitably come to pass at some point in the future - maybe not in our lifetime, but those fighting for it now are not going to let that stop them. Discrimination against anybody based on race, color, creed, religion or sexual orientation is oppressive and archaic. A gay person seeing anti-discrimination laws passed would not remotely interpret this as some kind of concession in the absence of a (from their point of view) positive outcome on gay marriage.

[andrew]

Roger "can hardly wait" to voting down gay rights in Iowa. I wonder if he "can hardly wait" to help in the soup kitchens of Cedar Falls as winter sets in. Wait, no, that wouldn't assuage his hatred of a minority and his glee at seeing them marginalized. Jesus personified is our Roger.

[Champ]

Sexual orientation is a man made catagory that does not belong in the list of race, creed, gender, etc. Sexual orientation is type of(out of the norm)sexual behavior a person chooses to engage in, practices such as spouse swapping or sadomasochism. We are born male or female(outside of a FEW cases of birth defect). If the homosexual community wants to keep losing millions of dollars fighting a losing battle, by all means do so. The economy can always use the extra dough. The fact that the term "sexual orientation" can include everything from pedophiles to beastiality make one shiver at the thought that people like these are federally protected. Thanks Mr. Obama, the fallout from your "all inclusive" fed protection law will be felt for decdaes to come-if we can last that long.