After a “heated” public debate, yesterday the Oklahoma City Council voted 5-4 to ban anti-LGBT discrimination in housing. Oklahoma City’s NBC affiliate reports:
“I just feel this incredible relief and happiness and joy that our kids are going to turn on the TV tonight and think: Oklahoma is standing with you,” said Cindy Cason, whose son is gay. She lives in Norman but made the trip to Oklahoma City to address the council. “A government organization that’s willing to stand up for the rights of all of the children and all of the families in the community is fantastic.”
The council otherwise easily and unanimously updated an ordinance that now protects people from discrimination, regardless of age, familial status, disability, race, color, sex, religion, creed, ancestry or national origin. It was last updated in 1980, before familial status and disability were recognized as protected classes.
Freedom Oklahoma celebrated the vote and says they are now looking forward to adding employment and public accommodation protections. Oklahoma City already protects city workers from sexual orientation discrimination. No statewide LGBT protections in any category exist in Oklahoma.