• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

Arkansas Democrat Responds To Hateful Anti-Gay Law With Proposal To Add Statewide LGBT Protections

John Wright March 10, 2015

Leding

Two weeks after a draconian anti-LGBT law took effect in Arkansas, a Democratic state legislator has introduced a measure that would effectively trump it. 

Last month, Gov. Asa Hutchinson allowed SB 202 to become law, making Arkansas only the second state to prohibit cities from adding protected classes to nondiscrimination ordinances that aren't already included in state law.

SB 202, of course, was aimed squarely at the LGBT community in direct response to Fayetteville's decision to add sexual orientation and gender identity to its nondiscrimination ordinance — a decision later overturned by voters. 

Now, a Fayetteville Democrat has introduced a bill that would override SB 202 by adding LGBT protections to state law. The Associated Press reports: 

A legislator is proposing expanding Arkansas' anti-discrimination protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity after a new law said local ordinances couldn't go beyond what's spelled out in state law.

Democratic Rep. Greg Leding (above) of Fayetteville on Monday proposed adding the protections to state law addressing discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. The state law currently includes race, religion, national origin, gender and disability.

Given the makeup of the Arkansas Legislature, Leding's bill has virtually zero chance of passing. However, it could very well represent the ultimate solution to bills like SB 202.  

The fact is that municipal nondiscrimination ordinances such as the one passed in Fayetteville don't have much teeth anyway. And laws like SB 202 — or a similar one that passed in Tennessee in 2011 — are difficult to challenge in court. So what we really need are statewide — or in the case of red states, more likely federal — protections. 

Kudos to Leding for standing up to bigots in the Arkansas Legislature and giving a symbolic middle finger to SB 202. 

Topics: LGBT Rights, Religion More Posts About: Arkansas, discrimination, gay rights, LGBT Rights

Related Posts
  • The 100,000 (est) Men Convicted for Same-Sex Contact Under UK’s Maze of Sodomy Laws Over The Last Few Hundred Years Can Get Pardons Now. Bit Late For Some.
  • BK 99’s Stephanie Beatriz Says Even Her Favorite Shows Spread Bisexual Myths That It’s A Hyper-Promiscuous , Manipulative Phase
  • Repeated Misgendering Of Employees On Purpose is a Human Rights Violation in Canada. ‘Like a Name, Pronouns are… part of a Person’s Identity’
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Mel B will “always be open” when it comes to her sexuality. The Spice Girls singer, 48, who reunited with her bandmates including the group's ex-singer Victoria Beckham for the fashion …Read More »
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Megan Thee Stallion is being sued for allegedly creating a hostile work environment and forcing her cameraman to watch her having lesbian sex. The 29-year-old ‘Savage' rapper faces the salacious claims …Read More »
  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Jonathan Bennett's life was “changed forever” by his role in ‘Mean Girls'. The 42-year-old actor starred as heartthrob Aaron Samuels in the 2004 cult classic – which followed Lindsay Lohan, Rachel …Read More »
  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass a gift basket after he came out as gay. The 44-year-old NSYNC star revealed the legendary singer showed his support when Lance decided to reveal …Read More »
Previous Post: « Support For Same-Sex Marriage Hits All Time High In The US: POLL
Next Post: Watch Episcopal Pioneer Rev. Malcolm Boyd’s Final Interview: VIDEO »

Primary Sidebar

Most Recent

  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

    Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

  • Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

    Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

  • JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

    JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

  • Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

    Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

Partner Links

  • Jake Tapper Suffers Self-Inflicted Injury As Ratings Take A Beating
    CNN host Jake Tapper had his lowest-rated month in nearly a […]
  • Benito Skinner tells Kelly Clarkson that he loves your DMs about ‘Overcompensating’
    Benito Skinner’s new Prime Video coming-of-age series “Overcompensating” draws on his […]
  • What Is Howard Lutnick Smoking?
    Trump's gaslighting Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was at it again, this […]
  • How Marco Rubio Went Total MAGA Trump Chode
    It has been something to watch the complete downfall of Secretary […]
  • The Onion: Pete Hegseth Bans Men With Girl Names From Combat
    Here's another relevant and not far from the truth video from […]

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy
[towleroadmr] [towleroadtn]

Footer

Ptown Hacks 2018

Read

  • Travel
  • Film
  • Law – LGBT Rights
  • Columns
  • Specials

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · Log in

×
×