MANHATTAN, Kansas – In the Little Apple, Manhattan Lawmakers are considering adopting the most sweeping anti-gay discrimination policy in the state of Kansas. The legislation has infuriated religious leaders, who held a rally Wednesday opposing the measure.
City leaders in Manhattan want everyone to know gays are welcome in their city. A new anti-discrimination policy is nearing passage that would make it a crime to deny anyone housing or a job because of their sexual orientation.
“We want to send a statement that all people are welcome and we're not going to judge you based on who you are or who you're attracted to,” said Josh McGinn with the Flint Hills Human Rights Project.
The new law goes beyond Lawrence’s policy, protecting transgender individuals in addition to gays and making it the most progressive policy in the state of Kansas. Two dozen church leaders have written the city in protest, claiming homosexuality is a sin and policies endorsing it harm families.
“There is not a homosexual gene,” said Donna Lipolt with the Kansas Family Policy Council. “They are not born that way and a lot of them have been terribly abused. We just want to reach out to them in love.”
Another group in opposition of this resolution in Manhattan is the Chamber of Commerce, but they say their stance has nothing to do with any sort of opposition on moral grounds. They're worried about what they say is the ambiguity of the way the legislation is written and concerns over businesses here in Manhattan being unfairly punished.
“We're simply looking at it from a legislative point of a view and how this would be enforced should it need to be,” said Lyle Butler with the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.
A rough draft of the new policy will be reviewed next week. City commissioners are expected to adopt the proposal at their December 21st meeting.
Protests in Manhattan are getting under way along with the Kansas Family Council’s rally against the policy. Gay and lesbian groups are planning a counter protest in favor of the legislation.
