05-08-06 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING MAY 8, 2006 Councilmember Pfeifer in addition to the Wednesday meeting, she wants everyone has a change to be heard and that we are able to gather support from as many places as possible so in addition to the meeting this Wednesday, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. we are also going to have an additional meeting Wednesday, May 17, 2006 from 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., and the Clerk’s Office will be sending the meeting notice. She wants everyone to have input and to gather information, so that they can make an informed decision. PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR April Lidinsky, 536 S. Sunnyside, South Bend, Indiana, American Association of University of Women, to speak about the Human Rights Ordinance. She is a board member of the South Bend branch of AUW and the public policy chairperson. Since its founding in 1881, the AUW’s mission is to promote equity for all women and girls lifelong education and positive social change. They understand that homophobia is weapon of sexism and like all prejudices its works through the same poisonous tactics of stereotyping and misinformation. Therefore, the South Bend Branch of the AUW, expresses to the South Bend Common Council their strong support for expanding the Human Rights Ordinance to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Significantly, a 2006 AUW Educational Foundation research report on sexual harassment on colleges campuses the most comprehensive study of its kind revealed that lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender students are more likely than heterosexual students to be sexual harassed and far more likely to be harassed more often. The civil rights of the LGBT individuals are deeply important to their organization and they are mobilizing nationally in the inequities in the experiences of LGBT students on campuses. The City needs to move in the direction that other cities in Indiana have already taken. The claims of special protections and special rights that have been made by detractors of Bill 29-06 are all to familiar to women who have fought for hundreds of years these same battles for equal treatment under the law regardless of gender. That battle is still waging. Sexism cannot be eliminated without eliminating homophobia and all bias based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The AUW hopes the Council’s share their same vision of a just world by recognizing that human rights must belong to all of us. Robin Beck, Executive Director, Another Book Store, 100 N. Center Street, Mishawaka, Indiana, stated that Another Book Store is a resource center for GLBT. The center has many youth, who use the bookstore as a resource center, their ages range from fourteen (14) years to twenty-two (22). There are two in attendance tonight, however, they do not wish to give their names for the record, because of backlash from fellow students. Council President Rouse advised that the Council discussed this before the meeting tonight and regrets to inform that they cannot allow people to speak who do not identify themselves. This is a rule of the Council, that anyone who wishes to speak to the Council must identify themselves. Councilmember Pfeifer asked if they could stand if they would like. Ms. Beck stated that she believes that these students are future leaders of the community. She would like to see the amendment to the Human Rights Ordinance, so that these future leaders have a reason to stay in the community. Maureen Lafferty, 739 Marquette Avenue, South Bend, Indiana, she has been involved with South Bend Equality for over a year working to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Human Rights Ordinance for the City. She has sixty-six statements from citizens who attended the South Bend Common Council Meeting on April 27, 2006 in support of Bill 29-06 in support of amending the Human Rights Ordinance. She filed them with the Office of the City Clerk. Robert Seifert, 1401 King Street, South Bend, Indiana, stated that since 1984 he has been employed by South Bend Heritage Foundation, the Colfax Cultural Center as an Art Consultant and Preparer for the Art and Galley Programs. He works with artist setting up shows. For a period of ten (10) years he had no problems and had an excellent rapport with all the staff. Starting about the spring of 1994, they had a security person working 22