Tonight members of the community gave testimony and comment on Proposition 622, an update of the Human Rights Ordinance, in front of the Rules and Public Policy Committee of the City of Indianapolis and Marion County City-County Council

Proposition 622 would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the city's anti-discrimination code.  This is the second such proposal this year, with the earlier proposition failing to pass 18-11 in April.
Discuss this article on the forums. (0 posts)Members of the affected communities told their personal stories of employment and housing discrimination before the Committee. 

"It's not a gay issue.  It's a human issue," Anthony Smith of Brothers United stated during his testimony.  Brothers United is a local African-American gay, bisexual, same gender loving men and transgendered community group,

Smith expressed disbelief that  "most of the people opposing this are black."   Indeed, a number of black Democrats sitting on the City-County Council voted against the proposal in April. 

The business and economic impact of this proposition was also brought to light.  Mary Burne and Tamara Tracy, small business owners in the community, declared that as business owners "we owe the public a higher obligation than to ourselves." 

The public comment began with attacks on the proposition.  Curt Smith, President of Indiana Family Institute, was opposing the policy.  "There is no demonstration of a public policy problem,  no evidence of a major community concern."

There will be more time for public comment and testimony on the proposal at a future committee meeting, Rules and Public Policy Chairman Rozelle Boyd explained to the filled City-County Council chambers.