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Houston voters reject LGBT nondiscrimination ordinance

KHOU-TV, Houston

HOUSTON — An equal rights ordinance that would have established nondiscrimination protections for gay and transgender people in Houston was rejected by voters Tuesday.

Opponents of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance branded it "the bathroom ordinance," playing up the argument that it would allow men dressed as women to use women's restrooms. A television ad featured a little girl being cornered by a man in a restroom.

Democratic Houston Mayor Annise Parker, who is gay, and other supporters of the ordinance had called this “bathroom ordinance” strategy highly misleading and a scare tactic.

Supporters sold it as an anti-discrimination measure protecting a broad range of citizens from the elderly to veterans. They also pointed out that Houston could lose major events, such as the Super Bowl, if the measure failed.

Supporters of the ordinance included President Obama, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and several entertainers.

Among the most outspoken opponents was former Houston Astros player Lance Berkman, who was featured in an anti-HERO ad.

The ordinance was initially approved by the Houston City Council in May 2014 but a lawsuit to have residents vote on the measure eventually made it to the Texas Supreme Court, which in July ordered the city to either repeal the ordinance or put it on the ballot.

Contributing: The Associated Press

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