Manhattan ? Manhattan gives 1st approval to gender ordinance

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — After a long, heated discussion, Manhattan’s City Commission gave first round approval to an ordinance that would outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The vote came after nearly two hours of public comment on the ordinance, which will now go to a second reading.

KMAN reports that the crowd filled the commission chamber and spilled out to an overflow area to watch the debate on a projector. The speakers included landlords, religious ministers, students, business owners and several others.

The ordinance passed on a 3-2 vote, although the commission said it might be revised by city staff before the second reading.