Shreveport, La. City Council Member Halts Effort To Repeal LGBT Rights Ordinance

SHREVEPORT, La. - A City Council member in Shreveport has, for now, halted his effort to repeal an LGBT-inclusive anti-discrimination ordinance.

The law bans discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in employment, housing and public spaces.

Shreveport council member Ron Webb had cast the only dissenting vote when the ordinance was approved last month.

Webb has since been pushing a repeal measure. However he withdrew the proposal at Tuesday's council meeting after an hour of public comment. He said the issue would be discussed at a later date.

Advocates for the new law showed up in force to oppose repeal.

Transgender and gay community members who supported the new law at Tuesday's meeting included a man who identified himself as one of Webb's former teachers.

Other advocates included pastor John Henson.

"Please keep it in place for the benefit of all the citizens here in Shreveport," said Henson, pastor of Church for the Highland.

"I am proud of the six Shreveport City Council Members who stayed vocally supportive of the ordinance throughout the repeal effort," Tim S. West, president of the organization Equality Louisiana, said in a Wednesday news release. "This is further proof that fairness is not only good for Louisiana but what Louisiana wants."