After Tuesday’s vote in Houston, Texas that repealed anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people, a petition has sprung up on Change.org calling for the NFL to relocate the 2017 Super Bowl from Houston.
The petition, started by football fan Ben Douthett, urges the NFL to take a stand on behalf of LGBT equality and avoid scheduling Super Bowls in Houston until the city reinstates protections for LGBT citizens. Houston residents voted Tuesday to repeal a previous law that offered non-discrimination protections to LGBT citizens, after a campaign waged by anti-gay activists. The vote makes Houston now the largest American city without protections for LGBT citizens.
Says petition starter Douthett, “By pulling the game from Houston, the NFL can demonstrate its commitment to equality, freedom and justice in a truly meaningful way. It should be noted that this move would by no means be without precedent. In 1991, the NFL revoked the 1991 Super Bowl from Tempe, Arizona after that state’s voters rejected a proposal recognizing Martin Luther King Jr. Day.”
Arizona was later awarded a Super Bowl after they voted to recognize the holiday, a result Douthett hopes replicates in Houston with protections for LGBT people. The NFL has so far resisted calls to relocate the Super Bowl, but Douthett is hopeful that with enough pressure the NFL will reconsider.
To access the petition visit: https://www.change.org/p/nfl-
In a separate development, Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC),has sent a letter to Commissioner Goodell requesting an emergency meeting to discuss the future of nondiscrimination protections in the city.
In the letter, Griffin wrote:
“With Houston slated to host Super Bowl LI in 2017, we are writing to request an emergency meeting about the urgent need for a nondiscrimination ordinance in this city that will ensure the thousands of employees, contractors and attendees at this event will be fully protected under the law. The Super Bowl will bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to Houston, and attract attention from across the nation and around the world. Commissioner Goodell, you have emphasized the NFL’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, respect and fairness. Out of that commitment we hope you will work with us to find a path forward in Houston. Finding a path to nondiscrimination protections that ensure all Houstonians are treated equally and fairly remains our crucial and urgent mission. We are eager to convene our partners in Houston for an urgent meeting at your earliest convenience to discuss how we can work together to make Houston a city that is welcoming for all residents and visitors. If the Super Bowl is to remain in Houston, these protections need to be in place to ensure the safety and well-being of all those participating.”
