| Did you hear that Billings? Rumor is that Missoula will become Montana's largest city after the current census is counted. But that's not the only advancement they're making.
On Monday evening in Missoula outside the city council chambers, the Montana Human Rights Network and a number of its great allies including ACLU of Montana, Forward Montana, Montana Equality Now, and Montana Women Vote, officially launched a campaign for a local non-discrimination ordinance in Missoula.
This proposed ordinance is fully inclusive of the Lesbian, Gay, Bi, and Transgender (LGBT) community, and will protect them from discrimination in the areas of housing, employment, and public accommodations.
"It could have been 10 years ago we were sitting here endorsing this," said Mark Anderlik, president of the Missoula Area Central Labor Council, before the event kicked off. "Shoulda been."
When this ordinance passes, it will be the first of its kind in Montana but I expect it won't be the last. You probably already know the names behind this work, but just in case: Kim Abbott, Jamee Greer, and Travis McAdam are three of the sharpest political and policy minds in Montana, and I expect the campaign will expand to other cities in the future. |
