Cincinnati Repeals GLBT Rights Ban

November 2, 2004

CINCINNATI, OH — While voters across Ohio were joining the electorate in 10 other states in passing constitutional bans on same-sex marriage, Cincinnati was repealing a law that prevents the city from passing any legislation to protect gays and lesbians from discrimination passed Tuesday.

The Cincinnati charter amendment had been passed 10 years ago to tie the hands of city council from including gays and lesbians in the city's human rights law.

It came about following an intense campaign by Christian conservatives after City Council voted in 1992 to create a human rights ordinance that prohibited discrimination in employment, housing or public accommodation on the basis of race, gender, age, color, religion, disability status, sexual orientation, marital status, or ethnic, national or Appalachian Region.

Citizens to Restore Fairness, a group formed to overturn the amendment, said it needed to be repealed because the current situation allows gays and lesbians to be discriminated against in employment and housing.

The conservative group that fought to have the original law passed, Equal Rights Not Special Rights Campaign, argued that the charter amendment protects Christians who oppose homosexuality.

Over a yearlong campaign gay rights activists got the support of Cincinnati's mayor and business leaders who said the law hurts them by making the city less attractive to prospective employees.

The repeal measure passed 54 percent to 46 percent.

One of the companies the supported repealing the Charter amendment was Proctor & Gamble which is based in Cincinnati. Evangelical groups across the country quickly mounted a boycott of the giant soap and consumer products company.