News 8
Proposals for FW gay rights spur mixed reactions 
03:13 AM CST on Wednesday, November 4, 2009
FORT WORTH - The June raid on the Rainbow Lounge gay, which left one patron badly hurt, could prompt profound changes for Fort Worth city employees.
A city manager’s diversity task force, which was created after the incident, made 20 recommendations to the Fort Worth City Council Tuesday afternoon.
The proposed changes include diversity training, doing more to recruit gay and lesbian workers, extending benefits to same sex partners and allowing insurance to cover gender reassignment surgery.
Many council members praised the measures, saying they will contribute to fairness and equality. One council member called it a simple matter of the "Golden Rule."
But, not everyone is pleased.
Stephanie Click, Tarrant County's Republican Party chairwoman, called the recommendations “a little extreme.”
"This is Fort Worth, not San Francisco,” she said.
Clark questioned adding costs for new benefits at a time when the city is having to furlough workers to balance the budget.
Task Force member Jon Nelson, of Fairness Fort Worth, said extending benefits to same sex partners would not cost a significant amount of money.
Fort Worth’s city manager has already concurred with 18 of the recommendations, although several will still have to go to other committees for review.
E-mail jdouglas@wfaa.com
