A new bill introduced to the General Assembly may help to increase the rights of homosexuals and bisexuals in Ohio.
“Job discrimination and denial of economic opportunity on the basis of sexual orientation should be prohibited in this state, and the victims of this kind of discrimination deserve protection under the law,” said Sen. Dan Brady, D-Cleveland and primary sponsor of Senate Bill 77.
“The time has come to recognize human rights in Ohio, and this human rights bill is a good beginning,” Brady said.
Brady’s proposal is broken down into three components: to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, to provide meaningful and effective remedies for victims of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and to invoke the powers of the state of Ohio to enforce the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
“We applaud him for having the courage to step up and do what is right,” said Kate Anderson, executive director at Stonewall Columbus.
Before the revisions, discrimination was prohibited only on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age and ancestry.
“Gay rights is the next civil rights movement,” Anderson said. The bill was introduced to the General Assembly on April 29, and was recently assigned to the Civil Justice Committee. Columbus City Code prohibits discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation.
The Community Relations Commission works to investigate any claims of discrimination to the point of possible prosecution in Columbus. Nikki Jenkins, an employee of the CRC, said most of the complaints received are based on sexual orientation.
“Human rights are for everybody,” Brady said.
