Taking the Gay Rights Lead in Kentucky's Small Towns

Kentucky's rural-dominated General Assembly is used to ignoring what the Commonwealth's cities want, but when rumbles of liberalism start in the counties, legislators might have to pay attention.

Peter Smith at the Courier:

 It is a scene that has been playing out in small cities throughout Kentucky in recent weeks as local citizens work with the statewide Fairness Coalition — which includes groups such as the Louisville-based Fairness Campaign and the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky — to seek local anti-bias protections for gay and transgender people.


Only Louisville, Lexington and Covington have such ordinances right now, but ordinances have also been proposed in Shelbyville, Bowling Green, Richmond and Berea. And Hartman said efforts may be launched in more towns early next year.

One of the advantages fairness advocates have in small towns and rural counties is that our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered neighbors are our neighbors. We see them at the Kroger and the Rite-Aid; at the fish fry and the christmas parade; at the park and at the library.

We know them personally, and the idea of them losing an apartment or a job because of who they are offends us.

No, passing fairness ordinances in the counties is not going to be easy and it's not going to happen soon.  But it's going to happen in the counties before it does statewide.