The cover of Thursday’s Forum of Fargo-Moorhead made a bold statement for LGBT equality, featuring the photos of North Dakota House Representatives who voted against non-discrimination protections, writes Hayley Miller on the HRC Blog.
According to the Forum, this was the third time in six years the House failed to pass a measure that would prohibit bias in housing and employment based on sexual orientation.
Earlier this week, The Indianapolis Star published a similar front-page editorial calling for Indiana lawmakers and Governor Mike Pence to ensure that the recently passed religious refusal law cannot be used as a shield for discrimination.
The state’s first openly gay legislator, Rep. Joshua Boschee, told the Fargo Forum that he hopes the uproar in other states will bring change to his home state. “And while we can see the backlash in Indiana, the mere perception of LGBT discrimination will have negative consequences for our state,” he said.
Currently, 29 states lack explicit protections against workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and 32 states on gender identity.
Wow, what a bunch of old White men represent North Dakota.