Saying he doesn’t believe Billings is ready for a nondiscrimination ordinance, Mayor Tom Hanel cast the decisive vote just past 3 a.m. Tuesday to defeat the long-debated measure.
The sad irony, of course, is that the kind of town that isn't "ready for a nondiscrimination ordinance" is the kind of town that most desperately needs a nondiscrimination ordinance.
The vote was 6-5, with council members Shaun Brown, Rich McFadden, Denis Pitman, Angela Cimmino and Mike Yakwich joining Hanel against the ordinance, which would have amended city code to protect people from being discriminated against on the bases of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.... Brown said he wasn’t against a majority of the ordinance, but did oppose a section that would have prohibited discrimination in public accommodations—namely, restrooms and locker rooms.
The next time I visit Billings I'll be sure to avoid public restrooms and pee out the window instead.
