Extend city’s nondiscrimination policies

By Keith Hawkins 8:32 PM Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Recently, a forum was held at City Hall by Equality Springfield in which the mayor, city commissioners and public were invited to support extending our city’s nondiscrimination policies to cover sexual orientation and gender identity.

The ordinance would follow what other cities in Ohio, like Dayton, Canton, Cleveland and Akron, already have in place. In many businesses, a person can be fired based solely upon their sexual orientation. Because of this, there are many gay and lesbian people, young and old, who leave Springfield to seek a city and work environment that they can feel safe in and not be afraid for being themselves. Fear from this unequal treatment should be eliminated.

Every day you hear someone say that we need to bring large employers and jobs back to Springfield. Other communities are enticing these businesses with their forward thinking and friendly environments. If we can’t even offer equal protection to our own workers, why would a company want to relocate here?

Passing the ordinance would benefit our local businesses by keeping their quality employees here and Springfield could promote itself as being an LGBT-friendly environment. In fact, 444 businesses in the Fortune 500 companies have anti-discrimination protection for their LGBT employees.

These companies realize, as do other cities in Ohio, that many of their bright and talented workers belong to the gay community and that providing equal rights is not only morally correct, but it is also makes good business sense.

The commissioners’ meeting room was full with people interested in the ordinance; there were actually people standing behind the seating area. It was refreshing to see Mayor Warren Copeland, Commissioner Karen Duncan, Richard Spangler, the Rev. Charlotte Reed and retired Rev. Bill Salyers all in attendance, and it was encouraging to read in the Springfield News-Sun that Commissioner Kevin O’Neill isn’t opposed to this change. It was made clear that getting the third vote needed for passage of the ordinance was going to be a struggle.

Let’s hope that these shows of support are indeed indicative of Springfield’s future. Why, after all, is it so difficult to get support for something that takes nothing away, yet provides equal (not special) rights to our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, friends, coworkers and neighbors?

As a business owner in Springfield and supporter of equal rights, how can I not support this ordinance? Please, let’s get rid of this injustice. Your support for the ordinance will make a difference.

Keith Hawkins is a real estate broker in Springfield.

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