LARAMIE, Wyo. — When Matthew Shepard was beaten, tied to a fence and left for dead nearly 20 years ago, his murder became a rallying cry in the gay rights movement.
Other states adopted stricter laws against violence and discrimination, and Congress passed hate-crimes legislation bearing Shepard’s name.
Yet in Wyoming, advocates have tried unsuccessfully for years statewide to pass protections for gays in housing and the workplace. They finally scored a victory Wednesday after trying a different approach: a local ordinance in the college town where Shepard was killed.
The Laramie City Council on Wednesday approved a local antidiscrimination ordinance.
It voted 7-2 in favor of the measure that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, employment and access to public facilities such as restaurants.
“What a day for Wyoming, and what a day for the city that became synonymous with Matthew Shepard’s murder to now step up and do this right thing,” said Jeran Artery, head of the group Wyoming Equality, which has lobbied for antidiscrimination measures at the state Legislature.
“And I would really encourage other communities across the state to follow Laramie’s lead,” Artery said.
Local organizers focused their efforts on Laramie after the Legislature repeatedly rejected antidiscrimination bills, most recently early this year.
The Laramie Nondiscrimination Task Force presented a draft ordinance to the City Council last summer.
Rep. Cathy Connolly, D-Laramie, is a lesbian and a professor in the Women’s Studies Program at the University of Wyoming.
She has pushed legislation repeatedly to try to pass an antidiscrimination bill at the state level.
“I wasn’t going to get up and say anything tonight, but I decided I have to,” Connolly said at Wednesday’s meeting. “I’m so proud to be a resident of Wyoming tonight and a member of this community.”
Laramie Mayor Dave Paulekas spoke in favor of the amendment before the council vote.
“To me, this is about treating people fairly, it’s about treating people the way I would want to be treated, the way we all expect to be treated,” Paulekas said. “And it’s nothing more than that, in my mind.”
Councilors Joe Vitale and Bryan Shuster cast the only no votes. Both said they were concerned that the ordinance would trample on city residents’ religious freedoms.
“Enactment of this ordinance will result in discrimination complaints filed against business owners who are simply trying to run their business consistent with their faith,” Vitale said.
The council rejected his suggestion that it postpone action on the matter until next year to give the U.S. Supreme Court and the Wyoming Legislature more time to act on the issue.
