VOTE Group Makes History in Montana
On Tuesday, April 13th, 2010, Missoula became the first city in Montana to offer protections to the LGBTQ community in housing, employment, and public accommodations. Thanks to months of smart and courageous campaigning by the Montana Human Rights Network (MHRN), and allies.
On Tuesday, April 13th, Missoula became the first city in Montana to offer protections to the LGBTQ community in housing, employment, and public accommodations. The Missoula City Council voted 10-2 in favor the ordinance after hours of public comment and council debate.
The historic vote came after months of smart and courageous campaigning by the Montana Human Rights Network (MHRN), and allies. MHRN, a statewide network dedicated to “fearlessly confronting racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia and other forms of injustice” is a participant in The Center’s VOTE project. Kim Abbott, MHRN’s director of organizing, and Jamee Greer, lead organizer, created and led a campaign rooted firmly in values of human rights and social justice. They held up the leadership of transgender folks and gays and lesbians and pushed forward tirelessly in the face of opposition and fear.
Similar statewide legislation in Montana has failed in the past and this time MHRN was determined to succeed. They kicked off the campaign in February 2010. Supporters were visible and vocal from the start. MHRN organized with allies ranging from high school Respect Clubs to a coalition of faith leaders to women’s organizations. These allies showed their support through a public sign-on letter.
During the months of campaign work, MHRN faced opposition from a newly formed group calling themselves “Not My Bathroom.” This group used the “bathroom panic” rationale to argue that providing LGBTQ Missoulians protection from discrimination would somehow make public places, including bathrooms, unsafe. This fear-mongering tactic singles out the transgender community as deviant and criminal.
MHRN responded with a public screening of Everybody Matters: Dignity and Safety for Trans People. The 75 people who turned out for the screening and community dialogue left with a feeling of solidarity and a commitment to the labor required to pass the ordinance.
On Monday, April 12th the city council met to vote on the ordinance. Dubbed “Diversity Day” by the high-school-led Respect Clubs, the day started with a rally of hundreds of people in a downtown park and turned into a march through the streets. At the council chambers, supporters packed the room and the crowd spilled out onto the streets. Many supporters stayed through more than seven hours of testimony and debate. Finally at 2a.m. on Tuesday, the council voted in favor of the ordinance and the crown erupted into applause and gave the council a standing ovation.
Like all good organizers, Kim and Jamee know the work isn’t done. The leaders of opposition group “Not My Bathroom” have begun working to recall the ordinance. MRHN will continue to educate Missoula’s leaders about implementation of the ordinance. And of course there is the question of which city is next, as the momentum from this amazing campaign spreads across the state.
