Civilities: Why Houston’s repeal of the ‘bathroom bill’ isn’t surprising

From:  Washington Post

By Stephen Petrow 

Actress Sally Field, left, with Houston-area women leaders, speaks at a Human Rights Campaign news conference in Houston. (Michael Stravato/Ap Images For Human Rights Campaign)

Was I surprised by the fear-mongering campaign waged by those against Houston’s equal rights ordinance? Unfortunately, no. I’m old enough to recall anti-LGBT vendettas playing out in state and local politics decade after decade and, sadly, this kind of backlash can get ugly.

Last week, Houston voters overwhelmingly repealed the city’s law that guaranteed protections based on an individual’s sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as on sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, familial status, marital status, military status, religion, disability and pregnancy.

The cruelty of the opposition to this fair-minded ordinance reminded me in particular of singer Anita Bryant’s effort in 1977 to repeal the Miami-Dade County, Fla., ordinance outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing and public services. Bryant, along with the organization she headed, Save Our Children, sought to depict “homosexuals” (as we were then referred to) as amoral, promiscuous and child predators. Infamously, Bryant said: “Some of the stories I could tell you of child recruitment and child abuse by homosexuals would turn your stomach.”  MORE