This might be stating the obvious, but it saddens that there are still many states in America where individuals can be discriminated against based on their sexuality. In the midst of our victory in Iowa, there's some bad news. With a 54-34 vote, the North Dakota House of Representatives has rejected a bill that would ban sexual-orientation based discrimination in the matters of housing, credit and employment.
Let me repeat that–it is now perfectly legal in North Dakota for someone to deny you a job because you are gay. Why? Because according to Rep. Robin Weisz, the bill would "force North Dakotans who oppose homosexuality to accept it." Well, boo-hoo for those North Dakotans. I'm sure they'd get over it!
This decision just magnifies the importance of taking action to do whatever you can for the fight for equality. An acquaintance of mine argued that we wouldn't see full gay-rights in the US within my lifetime. Let's prove him wrong.
– Dewitt
Photo credit: sccottt.com
What ever happened to the good old days when you could take someone behind the shed and change their mind. I say we change North Dakota into the new gay hot spot and do what we do best…Be gayer than glitter and rainbows. Who’s with me?
This is actually kind of a two-edged sword here. Any gay business owners can now fire employees for being straight. I bet the laws all around the country would change really quick if all the gay business people started firing all of their straight people for being straight.
Isn’t there a federal law prohibiting this type of discrimination. Federal laws trump state laws. But anyway, BOOOO to North Dakota. Pull your heads out of your asses up in that state and stop being morons. ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.
<—- has a sudden urge to buy a ball gown and fright wig and move to N. Dakota
FYI to all. There is no anti-discrimination and harassment laws pertaining to sexual orientation on the federal level. Legislation was passed by congress during the last administration and promptly vetoed. Thanks George Dub-ya!
Job discrimination against gays is perfectly legal in 30 states — including many large ones that might not think would allow it — Pennsylvania, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, for example. In Pennsylvania, there is an effort under way to change the law — if you live in PA, please visit http://eqfed.org/campaign/hb300_full_house
WHAT? THAT $#!T’S LEGAL IN SOME STATES? I did not know that. I didn’t realize that because being a homosexual undermines your ability to perform your job. Oh, wait! IT DOESN’T.
WTF America? Such a hypocracy. I’m not surprised that the rest of the world doesn’t like us that much.
Just for that, I’ll move to North Dakota, set up a business, and explicitly state that I’ll only hire non-heterosexuals/gender non-conformists until they ban it by law. It’d make headlines, if nothing else.
WOW! So according to Rep Weisz’s logic, the stubborn people of the south (I was born and raised there, so believe me, I know they still exists) can fire an African American because they are black.
Wake up, Rep. Weisz. Where was your cup of coffee today? What if I was a business owner and decided to fire his/her kid because their parent needs to grow up? Bet some legislation passed then….or at least a court summons.
Or here is a kicker…..(directed at the Mormon’s) IF a gay or lesbian business owner fires an employee because he/she is mad about how their Religious sect acted in the last election, they can NOT do it for that reason alone. But if we turn the tables, a Religious person can fire a gay/lesbian if they wanted to….and there isn’t much we could do, besides not shop there.
We as a community, really need to step up and fight for our rights, granted they should be given to us, just like everyone else in this country.
States’ rights, folks. You argue against both legal marriage and anti-GLBT discrimination in the same breath, until the federal government gets their shit together, and decides that this is a constitutional issue. It certainly is – the GLBT community is effectively a group of second-class citizens, under federal auspices. Every day which we pay taxes without equal protection and representation under law is a violation of the ideals that many men and women of all creeds and lifestyles have given their lives to protect.