In Brief

Staff Reports 

Nebraska's Capital City Set To Consider LGBTQ Fairness Ordinance 

By Chris Dyer | LINCOLN NE -- Councilmen Carl Eskridge is set to introduce a fairness ordinance, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected class's in the city of Lincoln. Eskridge said at a press conference Thursday,

"This is an issue of fundamental fairness in terms of how we treat a segment of our population in Lincoln, I don't expect to see as much controversy, that occurred in Omaha, where over 100 people spoke against the measure including filmmaker Alexander Payne, and Nebraska assistant football coach Ron Brown. If passed Lincoln would join the list of over 200 other cities that have protections in place for the LGBTQ community," Eskridge adding, " I have the full support of Mayor Chris Beutler, and enough support from the seven member council to adopt the measure."

Lincoln is closer knit community, kinder and more understanding" a group of clerical leaders are set to meet Saturday to voice their support for the measure, along with small business throughout the city. Members of a local equality group by the name of Outlink, took their concerns to councilmen Eskridge after he was elected in May of 2011. 

Outlink president Tyler Richard told LGBTQNation, "People in Lincoln who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered face significant barriers" The ordinance will be introduced April 30th, the public hearing will be May 7th, and the council will vote on the ordinance on the 14th of May. 73% of Nebraskans believe discrimination based on Sexual orientation is wrong according to a 2011 poll. Lincoln was the first city in Nebraska to have a human rights organization, Richard said " We want to keep Lincoln's tradition of standing up for fairness."