By John Mack Freeman
The Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (widely referred to as HERO) was rejected by a referendum vote, with nearly 61 percent of voters rejecting the measure. Via Wall Street Journal:
Known as the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, or HERO, the measure would have banned discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, race and a dozen other categories. It was backed heavily by Houston Mayor Annise Parker and a cadre of national Democratic political figures, and proponents poured more than $3 million into the push to pass it.
Supporters conceded defeat on Tuesday evening shortly after the Associated Press called the election in favor of opponents. Roughly 61% of voters opposed the measure and 39% backed it, with 96% of precincts and early voting totals tallied.
This defeat makes Houston the largest American city with not protection for GLBT people.
In the analysis that immediately followed the result, HERO supporters blamed a lack of outreach to the African American and Latino communities coupled with the pro-HERO campaign’s lack of a unified response to the fear-mongering bathroom attacks that had been used repeatedly by the anti-HERO efforts.
