This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, July 23, 2012 - Gay-rights activists have announced that Creve Coeur has become the fifth city in St. Louis County, and the sixth in the region, to approve an anti-discrimination ordinance that includes protections “for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in employment, housing, and public accommodations.”
Monday night’s vote by the Creve Coeur City Council was unanimous, according to PROMO, Missouri’s leading advocacy group for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.
The group singled out for praise Councilwoman Beth Kistner and the rest of the council for demonstrating that it “believes in protecting all of its citizens from discrimination,” as PROMO put it.
Said Kistner in a statement: "Just as our nation and state leaders must continuously re-evaluate antiquated policies or develop new policies where none existed, so it is for the city of Creve Coeur with this ordinance. The community and city employees can be proud their leadership has taken a proactive and cohesive stance in protecting and preserving the rights of all of the people who live and work in Creve Coeur.”
PROMO executive director A.J. Bockelman said after the vote, “This is a reflection of the great community support that we have for nondiscrimination protections in St. Louis County. As we continue to build support and educate the citizens of St. Louis County, we are seeing more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and our allies standing up, speaking out, and asking their city to protect them against discrimination.”
Creve Coeur will join the municipalities of University City, Olivette, Clayton and Richmond Heights – all of which previously approved such protections, along with St. Louis. Similar ordinances have been approved by Kansas City, Jackson County and Columbia, Mo.
