Voters Strike Houston LGBT Ordinance by Wide Margin
Tuesday, November 03, 2015
Houston media are reporting the city's LGBT Ordinance failed by a large margin. Television station KHOU reports early voting results and returns predict it won't pass. KHOU says those number were approximately two-thirds of the voters against the ordinance with a third for it.
The Houston Equal Rights Ordinance was nicknamed HERO. It would have, among other things, allowed people with various sexual identities to use whatever bathroom of the sex they identified themselves as - regardless of their biological sex.
Opponents worried it could put women and children at risk. Pastors and their churches across the city fought the measure out of that concern and because of other language in the measure.
They say the way the law was written the city could fine and even imprison violators who did not make certain public accomodations.
Watch Wednesday's "The 700 Club" for a full report and reaction to the vote.
Dave Welch with the Houston Area Pastors Council said it did not include strong protections for people of faith to protect them if those public accomodations conflicted with their biblical values. He said that was one reason Christians rallied against it. He also told CBN News that it really came down to standing for God's truth about sexuality.
Those supporting it and voting for it, included Houston's lesbian mayor Annise Parker.
She and others argued it was a necessary nondiscrimination ordinance to protect the LGBT community.
