Politics & Government
Work Underway on LGBT Anti-Discrimination Law
The Kirkwood Human Rights Commission is consulting with the city's attorney on an ordinance that would protect residents from discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
Kirkwood law does not protect residents from discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation, but the Kirkwood Human Rights Commission is determined to recitfy that.
The Commission is working with Kirkwood City Attorney John Hessel to craft an ordinance that would prohibit this type of discrimination relating to employment, housing and public spaces, according to Maggie Duwe, vice-chair of the Human Rights Commission.
"Right now there are no protections," Duwe said.
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If adopted, Kirkwood would join Creve Coeur, Olivette, Richmond Heights, University City, Clayton and the city of St. Louis as municipalities with laws protecting members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered) community from discrimination.
The vision of the law is for it to include a path for enforcement against those who discriminate against residents based on gender identity or sexual orientation. The Commission is working with Hessel to incorporate this enforcement component, according to Duwe.
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Once drafted, the law will be presented to the for approval. A timetable for when the law will be drafted has not been set.
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