LULAC Councils Call for Support of Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO)
October 28, 2015
HOUSTON, TEXAS– In 2014, the Houston City Council passed the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), which prohibited discrimination against Houston's 2.2 million residents on the basis of sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, familial status, marital status, military status, religion, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity and pregnancy. While the ordinance was in effect, discrimination complaints based on race made up 56% of the reported claims and another 17% were based on gender or pregnancy discrimination, according to data from City of Houston's Inspector General.
Based on polling that was conducted by Texas Wins, 63% of Texans support non-discrimination protections based on their sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. HERO reflects Houstonians' values because it makes clear that discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated.
Despite the obvious benefits and overwhelming support, the Texas Supreme Court suspended the enforcement. This important provision has since been placed on the Municipal Elections Ballot and will be voted on this November.
Today, the City of Houston remains one of the nation’s largest American cities without a city ordinance that specifically prohibits discrimination.
The City of Houston prides itself as a diverse and inclusive city. Every Houstonian – regardless of race, age, gender, pregnancy, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or military status – should be able to work, study, and be served by businesses and government without fear of discrimination. LULAC District 18 in Houston urges you to vote "YES" on Proposition 1.
With your support of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, we ensure the equal treatment of all, which is consistent with LULAC's 86 years of civil rights advocacy.
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org, www.LULAC.org/facebook, and www.LULAC.org/twitter.