Tampa council's transgender vote ruffles some feathers

Last Thursday, the Tampa City Council preliminarily approved expanding the city's human rights ordinance to offer protection to transgendered people. Other than a discussion about whether the new law would protect the occasional cross dresser, the vote came with little opposition, passing by a 7-0 vote.

Every speaker at the meeting spoke in favor of the change. But when the council takes its final vote on the ordinance Nov. 19, they could face a different scene. Terry Kemple, president of the Community Issues Council, an organization with the stated mission of promoting Judeo-Christian values, is rallying troops to fight the new protections.

“We’re trying to mobilize people to stand in opposition to what is a bad law,” Kemple said. “It discriminates against Christians and provides special privileges for people based on sexually aberrant behavior.” Kemple sent an e-mail to supporters warning them that, among other things, the Tampa law will allow sexual predators to go into restrooms designated for the opposite sex and force business owners, regardless of their religious beliefs, to hire cross dressers. Already, Council members have received a handful of e-mails from people who oppose the measure.

In response to Kemple’s actions, members of Tampa Bay Pride also say they plan to send representatives to Thursday’s meeting.

"Now that Kemple sent out his alert to his people we’re mobilizing furiously,” said Zeke Fread, director of Pride Tampa Bay.

Kemple said no one from his organization went to last week’s meeting because they learned of the vote too late to organize. Fread said his group didn’t go last week because they knew the expanded ordinance would pass.

Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer

Comments

[ned]

It is unlikely they will sway this ultra-left leaning City Council. It's what they do.

[Thomas]

Pretty soon everyone will be a protected class. Stop the insanity already.

[Sharon Janis]

Mr. Kemple’reasoning ability appears critically damaged by too much religion. How else can one conclude that non-discrimination laws protecting a minority somehow means discrimination against Christians? The ordinance is about insuring everyone is treated equally in the eyes of the law. It does not take away anyone's right to their own beliefs.

[ann]

Only in the world of the wingnut religious right would they try to imply that a majority is in danger of being discriminated against.

What they are really saying is that you are making it more difficult for me to spew my hate.

I've had enough of them.

[nna]

Only in the world of the wingnut loony left would they try to imply that a young boy will be ok with a guy dressed like a woman standing at the urinal next to him in a public or private restroom.
What they are really saying is that if you don’t accept my abnormal lifestyle choice... then force private industry and taxpayers to build me my own bathroom.
I've had enough of the nutjobs.

[Abuse Alert!]

It's time to start taking bets on who these morons are. I'm thinking it's either Patrick Schorsch or Jammie Bennett. Anyone else?

[D]

I love how the Christians label things as "abnormal" or "sexually aberrant", as if they are the arbiters of normality. Let's see, Catholics...celibacy amongst the priesthood and nuns. What could be more sexually aberrant than grown, sexually mature adults being celibate for life? Then, they also hide child molesters by moving them from one priesthood post in one city, to another, instead of calling the police. As far as other Christians, they share every sexual quirk in existence, but just choose to hide them and pretend they are too holy to partake. Hypocrisy is not a moral stance.

[D]

I love how the Christians label things as "abnormal" or "sexually aberrant", as if they are the arbiters of normality. Let's see, Catholics...celibacy amongst the priesthood and nuns. What could be more sexually aberrant than grown, sexually mature adults being celibate for life? Then, they also hide child molesters by moving them from one priesthood post in one city, to another, instead of calling the police. As far as other Christians, they share every sexual quirk in existence, but just choose to hide them and pretend they are too holy to partake. Hypocrisy is not a moral stance.

[:-/]

I love how the GLBT’s and their ilk try to label their abnormal, un-natural, un-healthy and dangerous lifestyle choice as normal... and try to use vitriolic attacks, generalities, tired stereotypes, and extortion tactics to attempt to force societal acceptance of their lifestyle choice in an effort to ease the deep-seeded guilt they feel over their lifestyle choice. Hypocrisy is not absent from their mantra either. They demean Christian values and espouse the rule of evolution, science and nature... when their lifestyle choice is neither of scientific or natural order, nor has it evolved to the point of self-sustainability.

Two wrongs don’t make a right, and two men can’t make a baby... end of story.

[patrick schorsch]

what do i have do with any of this, i am not my brother in any way nor do i have any relation with jamie bennett or peter

[youngrepublican]

I want special rights too! Sometimes, I prefer to be naked. With my special rights no employer can reject me for showing up naked. I'm not expressing any sexual preference just like being naked, so don't be hating me. Well they always say people have their public life, private life and secret life. Private life and secret lives need to stay private and secret. If your secret life is illegal, can't help you.

[gh]

I am disgusted with the idea that a man would be allowed into a womans public restroom in the city of Tampa for any reason. I have teenage daughters to think about -

It is upsetting to think that a student's teacher might end up being a man dressed as a woman - or visa versa - how is that kid supposed to learn anything other than what happened to the adults? What happens when those parents demand that their teacher be changed? Do they have any rights or say so?

Has anyone really thought this through? Where are my rights to use a public restroom without being subjected to men's admittance there.

My teenager may have said it best, use the bathroom that was designed for your body parts.

I am ashamed of our city council for not seeing this as the political hot button it will become and realizing that we cannot create runs for some peoples feelings that will have such far reaching effects on the majority of our community -

[Allan]

Public Announcement:

The Adolf Hitler-Heinrich Himmler Memorial Association hereby commends Mr. Terry Kemple for his statement against the civil rights ordinance for transgender people, and encourages Mr. Kemple to continue with his Nazi-like statements in helping create a public political environment and climate where, eventually, people of the political persuasion of those like us may eventually gain power in the Tampa Bay area, Florida, and the U.S. more generally.

Thank you, Mr. Kemple.

--Adolf Schicklegruber the Third, President, Adolf Hitler-Heinrich Himmler Memorial Association