News
2007-04-03
Meredith turns
page, backs LGBT rights bill
LGBT civil rights
protections in Iowa cleared a house subcommittee Monday
with a boost from publishing's Meredith Corp., which
r
LGBT civil rights
protections in Iowa cleared a house subcommittee Monday
with a boost from publishing's Meredith Corp., which
reversed its earlier position and supported the bill.
"All
employees—regardless of their sexual orientation or
gender identity—deserve to work in an
environment that is free from discrimination and
harassment," Art Slusark, Meredith vice
president of corporate communications and governmental
relations, wrote to Iowa legislative leaders.
"Meredith has
provided and will continue to provide such a workplace.
Passage of this bill would help ensure inclusive policies at
all companies," Slusark wrote.
The bill, which
adds sexual orientation and gender identity to a list of
protected characteristics under Iowa's Civil Rights Act,
goes Tuesday to the heavily Democratic state house
human resources committee after last week's passage in
the state senate.
"It will pass in
committee, but I'm hearing that the Republicans on the
committee are locked up in caucus on it," the committee
chairman, Rep. Mark Smith, a Democrat, told Gay.com on
Monday. "If they're locked up on the house floor, we
may have some difficulty."
Opposed by some
business interests and supported by labor unions, it
would ban anti-LGBT bias in employment, public
accommodation, training, and education. Though the
bill has passed each legislative chamber in different
years, 2007 marks its first airing to a Democratic house,
senate, and governor.
Slusark told
Gay.com that Meredith's original position was taken in error
and that the stance was changed "once we had a chance to
talk to our leadership."
The Des
Moines–based company owns 12 TV stations and a slew
of consumer home and decorating magazines including
Family Circle, Ladies' Home Journal, and
Better Homes and Gardens. Many of its 3,300
employees are already protected under LGBT rights laws
in New York, California, Oregon, Massachusetts, and
Nevada, among other states.
"I'm pleasantly
surprised that they're taking the stance they should
have taken all along," said Sandy Vopalka, board president
of Equality Iowa.
"Our creative
culture thrives on diversity on many levels," Slusark
wrote. "It takes a wide variety of perspectives to produce
the industry-leading magazines, books, online content, and
television programs for which Meredith is known.
Expanding the Iowa Civil Rights Act will help our
state attract and retain top-notch workers.... More
important, we think it is the right thing to do." (Barbara
Wilcox, The Advocate)
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