GLBT amendment sought in South Bend again

City council voted down proposal in '06.
from the South Bend Tribune
4/29/09
Jaimie Loo, staff writer

SOUTH BEND — Students from Indiana University South Bend, the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary's College asked the Common Council during privilege of the floor Monday to consider amending the human rights ordinance to include language for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons.

IUSB Equality vice president Zach Duncan said that without adding language for GLBT people to the ordinance, he doesn't think he would be protected by the law if he was fired from a job for being gay. After he graduates, Duncan said, he would consider leaving South Bend for a job market that has GLBT protections.

Saint Mary's College sophomore Courtney Helman said an environment in which GLBT people cannot report discrimination only furthers intolerance. Helman cited the recent suicide of Carl Walker-Hoover of Massachusetts, who repeatedly was taunted by classmates who claimed he was gay. Walker's mother reported the ongoing harassment to school administrators, she said.

Notre Dame College Democrats president Henry Vasquez said everyone should have basic human rights and that it took progressive changes in this country for African-Americans to be treated equally. Vasquez said he hopes council members will take a stand and be part of the next movement to guarantee rights for GLBT individuals.

None of the council members are supporting measures to reconsider amendments to the human rights ordinance at this time.

In 2006, the council held several public hearings on the proposed amendment over a two-month period. The amendment was defeated in a 5-4 vote.

The proposed amendment was introduced again in 2007 by former council members Charlotte Pfeifer and Randy Kelly but was later pulled from the agenda. In a Tribune interview in late November 2007, Pfeifer said she and Kelly felt there wasn't enough time for the council to review new information before the council's last meeting of the year, and they wanted to make sure there was support for the ordinance before it was brought up again.