JACKSON HOLE, WYO – Town officials moved forward a non-discrimination ordinance (NDO) Monday that would seek better protections for individuals identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
The ordinance follows groundwork laid by former Mayor Sara Flitner, who managed to steer through a non-discrimination resolution on December 7, 2015. In December 2017, Mayor Pete Muldoon pushed for an NDO that would offer protections and victim recourse should discrimination take place related to workplace, housing and public accommodations against an individual based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
A few Wyoming cities have passed non-discrimination resolutions (Casper, Sheridan, Cheyenne, Gillette) but none except Laramie (in 2015) has enacted a law.
Pursuit of an NDO in Jackson has met with overwhelming support including comments from a prominent playwright and journalist working in the valley.
“I am a gay man who has grown up in Jackson Hole, and I have seen my fair share of homophobia during my life here,” Andrew Munz wrote the council. “There is nothing the state of Wyoming has done to make me feel safer. There is nothing the Town of Jackson has done to make me, as a gay man, feel more welcome. I am seen as a prominent public figure in the community, and yet I still do not feel completely safe in my hometown. I am unable to shake the thought that if I flirt with the wrong person at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, I could end up in a position similar to that of Matthew Shepard’s.”
In supporting an ordinance, councilman Don Frank said, “I really believe this is a community that does not conspicuously discriminate. And if I’m wrong, I am woefully wrong. However, even one case that could injure someone is one case too many in my mind.”
Jim Stanford said he thought the resolution needed more bite.
“I do feel that, unfortunately, there is discrimination in our community. There is no better way to head it off than to put everybody on notice and pass this ordinance in three readings,” Stanford said at Monday’s meeting. “Not only is it the right thing to do—to treat all people with respect—but if you do not and you do discriminate, you can face criminal charges.”
Frank agreed a law would send a stronger message.
“I’ve been concerned that our resolution was not a strong enough message because it has no capacity to actually solve anything. It certainly set clearly what we believe, but did not set a path of remedy for a potential victim,” Frank added. “I want to move this forward with the hope that we never have to use it.”
The council voted unanimously at Monday’s workshop to have staff draw up a non-discrimination ordinance for a first reading at the council’s June 4 meeting.
