11-14-13 special council meeting to address transgender ordinance

A few days after a Fond du Lac city councilmember pulled a controversial transgender ordinance from the council agenda…the council president wants a full council vote on the issue to, in his words,  "put closure to the matter."   City council president Sam Meyer says a special council meeting will be held at 6pm Monday to vote on whether to add the words gender identity and expression to the list of protected classes under the city’s fair housing ordinance.   "Its not just me, there's a consensus on city council that we need some closure for the community,"  Meyer told WFDL news.  Councilmember Dan Manning is the ordinance sponsor.  He says its necessary to prevent discrimination against transgender individuals.  Manning says it seems the biggest concern people have about the ordinance Is public accommodation for transgender individuals in restrooms and locker rooms.  Manning says that argument has been made since the days of the Jim Crow laws.  "When they had "separate but equal" restroom facilities.  The same argument was made against gay men with the "don't ask don't tell" policy in the military.  This bathroom fear has been used against every group that has sought equal rights for the past 100 years,"  Manning said.  Meyer says he believes transgender people are already protected under the law, and wonders  "where do you draw the line?"   On AM 1170’s Between the Lines program this week Manning indicated that he pulled the ordinance to give more time to educate the community about the need for the ordinance.  Meyer says "its time to move on, with compassion, from the issue and allow the council to focus on other city business."