Houston City Councilman Speaks on Mayor's LGBT Agenda

HOUSTON, Texas – Mayor Annise Parker, Houston’s first openly gay mayor, has introduced a 35 page city ordinance to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity among other “protected characteristics.” Council Member Michael Kubosh (At Large, Position 3) sat down for an exclusive interview with Breitbart Texas to discuss opposition to the proposed ordinance.

Kubosh is serving in his freshman term as a councilmember having been sworn in on January 1, 2014. As an “at large” member, he represents the entire city of Houston. Kubosh was elected to office with a wide base of support from conservatives and liberals, which puts him in a unique position in discussing this proposal from Mayor Parker.

The ordinance has been given the name H.E.R.O. (Houston Equal Rights Ordinance) but under the nice sounding name are issues like criminal penalties for employers and safety issues for women and children in bathrooms, public showers and dressing rooms. “This ordinance has kind of morphed,” Kubosh said. “It turned from what was initially called a human rights ordinance, to a civil rights ordinance, and now they’ve called it an equal rights ordinance.”

“The concerns of the business community is that they want to criminalize people who discriminate against this class of people,” Kubosh explained. The ordinance, attached below, defines protected characteristics “as an individual’s sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, familial status, marital status, military status, religion, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity or pregnancy.”

Kubosh expounded on the business communities objections stating, “They’ve added these other classes, of sexual identity and gender expression, and these things have confused the issue. The business community doesn’t want to be perceived as being in any way discriminating. But they [the backers of the ordinance] want to criminalize anyone who denies them service or feels like they may be discriminated [against] by any business.” The ordinance will apply to employers of fifty or more employees.

In the following interview, Kubosh goes through a detailed explanation of the ordinance and why both individuals and businesses should be concerned about the direction Mayor Parker is taking the city with this ordinance.

The City of Houston will vote on this issue this week. Kubosh suggestion residents of Houston contact their city council member and the mayor’s office to express their viewpoints on the matter before it comes up for a vote.

Following is a list of email addresses for Houston city officials:

Brenda Stardig

District A

Phone: 832.393.3010

WEB PAGE • E-MAIL

Jerry Davis

District B
Vice Mayor Pro-Tem

Phone: 832.393.3009

WEB PAGE • E-MAIL

Ellen Cohen

District C

Phone: 832.393.3004