On November 3, residents of the city of Houston will vote on Proposition 1, known as the “Houston Equal Rights Ordinance” (HERO), which prohibits discrimination based on any one of a whole list of reasons, two of them being “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.”
Voters will be asked: “Are you in favor of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, Ord. No. 2014-530, which prohibits discrimination in city employment and city services, city contracts, public accommodations, private employment, and housing based on an individual’s sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, familial status, marital status, military status, religion, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, or pregnancy?”
There are four major reasons why Houston residents should vote “No” on Proposition 1:
1) It violates basic business rights.
Under this ordinance, the city of Houston can tell private companies how to do their hiring and firing. Business owners will no longer have the exclusive right to decide who their employees will be.
This is a direct attack on basic business rights. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself spoke about a landowner who treated his laborers unequally. When confronted, the landowner asked, “Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?” (Mat 20:15). Under HERO, employers will no longer be able to do what they wish with their own assets.
2) It promotes homosexuality.
Under this ordinance, homosexuality will be considered acceptable behavior, and anyone who objects to it will be subject to punishment. Instead of treating homosexual behavior as an abomination (Lev 18:22, 20:13), the city of Houston will elevate it to nothing worse than a societal variation.
3) It promotes transgenderism, and attempts to destroy male/female differentiation.
Under this ordinance, the God-ordained differences between men and women will not be respected. Disapproval of behaviors such as cross-dressing (Deu 22:5) or using bathrooms of the opposite sex will not be tolerated. Everyone will be forced to accept that there is no difference between men and women, that any apparent distinction is merely psychological, that God did not create humans as “male and female” (Gen 1:27).
4) It allows men to enter women’s public restrooms, increasing the risk of sexual assault.
Under this ordinance, a man will be allowed to enter the women’s public restroom as long as he decides to identify as a woman for that moment in time. This violates the privacy of women, and increases the probability of sexual assault.
Due to these reasons, it is important that all Houstonians vote “No” on Proposition 1. Let’s respect business rights. Let’s not elevate behaviors such as homosexuality and cross-dressing. Let’s keep men out of women’s bathrooms. Vote “No” on Houston’s Proposition 1.
