Missouri city set to remove anti-gay law
The city of Springfield, in the US state of Missouri, is set to remove a law which discriminates gays and lesbians from its ordinances tonight.
The 1976 law makes it illegal to solicit sex from someone of the same gender. Although the law has not been enforced in years, it came under scrutiny at the city’s annual PrideFest celebration in June.
Councilman Doug Burlison is now calling for its removal. He told the Springfield News-Leader: “This is not a measure approving gay marriage. We’re not giving gay people any additional rights. This is a measure, in my mind, that keeps everyone on a level playing field and keeps social engineering out of local law.”
In a statement released in July, the Gay and Lesbian Center of the Ozark said they were pleased at the plans.
Centre spokesman Michael Siepel said: “It’s definitely discriminatory against the LGBT community. One of the GLO centre’s purposes is to continue to work towards equal rights for all.”
