HomeMy WebLinkAboutNon-Discrimination Public Comment from Caitlin Copple 4-21-14From:Caitlin Copple
To:Agenda
Subject:Please support fairness and dignity in Bozeman
Date:Sunday, April 20, 2014 12:35:32 PM
Dear Bozeman City Commissioners,
As someone who spends a great deal of time in Bozeman for business and pleasure,I wholeheartedly urge you to support an LGBT inclusive non-discrimination ordinancefor your great city. Such an ordinance sends a strong message not only to LGBTpeople like me that Bozeman is a safe and welcoming place to live, work, and play,but also to innovative, entrepreneurial young people who might not feel likeMontana is a place open to new ideas and diversity. It also sends a message toBozeman's LGBT young people, who are four times more likely to commit suicidethat heterosexual youth, that their city supports them and wants them to feel likethey belong in their community rather than feeling that they must leave Montana tofit in and have a happy life.
As the economist Richard Florida has written, entrepreneurs often see LGBT equalityas a proxy for how tolerant a community is toward new ideas and innovativebusinesses. As Montana's tech hub, it seems like a no-brainer to capitalize onbranding your city as a place where creativity and innovation thrive in the neweconomy. Oracle, one of Bozeman's largest employers, scored 100% on the HumanRights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, which means they offer LGBT-friendlypolicies including basic employment non-discrimination. What's good for LGBTpeople is also good business--88 percent of Fortune 500 companies now offeremployment protections based on sexual orientation.
I love Bozeman. I love how vibrant the Downtown is, the incredible talent of yourstartup community (I'm an alumna of Startup Weekend Bozeman 2013), and thetenacity and courage of your LGBT community in the face of at times venomousopposition. Please do the right thing for your residents and people like me, membersof the LGBT community, who visit Bozeman for work and recreation, and offer usbasic protections under the law.
Best,
Caitlin Copple
_________________________
Caitlin Copple, M.A.
caitlin.j.copple@gmail.com
(406) 493.4281, cell
**If this is regarding Missoula City Council, please email me at
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