Fort Worth Bans Trans Discrimination

The Fort Worth City Council voted 6-3 late Tuesday to expand its antidiscrimination ordinance to include transgender people, reports the Star-Telegram. The ordinance already forbids discrimination based on race, sex, religion, or sexual orientation.

The vote comes after Fort Worth, Texas, officials appointed a task force to recommend ways to mend fences following a controversial inspection of a gay bar, the Rainbow Lounge, in June.

Tuesday's vote dealt only with one facet of the litany of proposals brought before the city council. Other recommendations from the task force include offering domestic-partner benefits and expanding the city health insurance plan to cover gender-reassignment procedures, including sex changes.

Both gay rights advocates and conservative opponents attended the meeting.

According to the Star-Telegram, at one point the two sides sang competing hymns: "We Shall Overcome" from gay activists and "Amazing Grace" from religious protesters.