By Chris Dyer & Brody Levesque | OMAHA, NEBRASKA -- The Omaha city council today approved a controversial non-discrimination ordinance, that makes it against the law to discriminate in the workplace based on sexual oreintation and gender identity.
The final vote was 4-3, with council members Gray, Jerram, Festersen, and Gernandt voting to adopt the ordinance. Those who voted no on the ordinance were council members Thompson, Mulligan, and Stothert.
Councilmen Franklin Thompson said after the vote; " I would have voted in favor of the ordinance had the council been willing to remove the gender classification." During a tense hearing last week, several members of the public testified against the measure telling the council members that the section for gender identity would open the door to having men dressing as women in public places which would harm children and put women at risk for sexual assault.
Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle, released a statement saying;
"I applaud the city council for their actions today and I look forward to signing the ordinance into law. Omaha is a city that welcoms diversity, embraces fresh ideas, and is open for business to everyone. Allowing discrimination in our city is wrong-for our citizens and our businesses. With a robust local economy and an increasingly talented workforce, Omaha is well positioned to be one of the most vibrant and innovative cities of the 21st century"
Omaha is the 42nd largest city in the United States and with a population of 408,958, it is Nebraska's largest city. Political observers said after the vote that because Nebraska is considered one of the most conservative states in the nation, this is not only a significant event for the city of Omaha, but for the entire state as well.
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