11-19-13 transgender ordinance fails

A controversial ordinance change designed to protect  transgender individuals from housing discrimination in Fond du Lac has been voted down, but the amendment’s sponsor is promising not to give up.   Fond du Lac Councilmember Dan Manning was the only councilmember voting to support the change to add the words gender identity and expression as a protected class under the city’s fair housing ordinance.  Manning says he will continue to push forward to educate the community about the need for the amendment.  Councilmember Catherine Block abstained from voting and all other councilmembers voted in favor of rejecting the change. Before the vote the council listened to three hours of testimony from people on both sides of the issue.   Opponents argued it wasn’t necessary…that discrimination against transgender people was already covered in existing law.   Supporters say the change was necessary to protect against discrimination.