SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane City Council passed an ordinance Monday night affirming the city’s LGBTQ+ community’s already existing rights.
Ordinance 36667, sponsored by Councilmembers Dillon, Navarrete and Zappone, amends the city’s municipal code to include language affirming LGBTQ+ individuals rights, despite actions at the federal level, including the right of city employees to seek gender-affirming care.
The ordinance also establishes an LGBTQ+ liaison officer with the Spokane Police Department to collaborate with the community.
Monday night’s meeting drew a large crowd, with over 70 people speaking during public comment.
Many spoke in favor of the ordinance.
“Thanks to the current administration, the bigotry we are experiencing is becoming more and more brazen, and frankly, more and more scary, to the point where we have to fear for our safety, for our medical care and for our very lives. Passing an ordinance like this would make such a difference for folks like us, because it would show both the queer community and the community at large that we believe in the safety and rights of all people,” said one speaker.
A handful of speakers voiced their opposition to the ordinance.
“We oppose Ordinance 36667 because it’s just bad medicine, if not frank malpractice,” said one speaker who said he was a Board-certified plastic surgeon affiliated with The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, a group that has been outspoken about opposing abortion. “In brief, gender-confused youth truly and greatly suffer, but their suffering can only be relieved by treating the underlying psychological problems.”
In mid-April, Councilmember Bingle also proposed amendments related to the LGBTQ+ community, including one that would restrict the use of city-owned restrooms by the sex someone is assigned at birth.
He and Councilmember Cathcart were the only two councilmembers to vote against the ordinance.
“What I hear a lot of is that people want to live their true, authentic selves, and you know what? Go for it. There are people who disagree, for sincerely held religious, moral or ethical reasons, that also are asking can we also live according to this, and I think that that’s a fair proposition. It’s a live-and-let-live situation, that I’m totally cool with. I think that’s a great idea,” Councilmember Bingle said.
Councilmember Klitzke spoke in favor of the ordinance and said she hopes it sets an example for the rest of the city.
“This does mostly apply to city employees, and I just want to flag that and say I hope that this spreads the concept further. Freedom, privacy, bodily autonomy and medical privacy saves lives. This needs to catch on in institutions, corporations, insurance companies and all over, and they need to join us in protecting our communities and not being afraid of the bullying and the threats of the federal government or anyone else,” she said.
Council President Wilkerson ultimately voted in favor of the ordinance, but not without expressing some hesitation.
“I will be voting for this, but I just have financial reservations, for the impact of the entire city going forward,” she said.
She went on to note that the ordinance is expected to cost the city $370,000 in its first year, $440,000 next year, and 5% every year following.
“So please, remember that as other things come before us, times will get tighter and we will have to continue to make very difficult decisions for the entire city,” Council President Wilkerson said.
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