Say NO to Discrimination!

In the state of Missouri, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people can be fired from their jobs, evicted from their homes, refused access to public services, and denied parenting rights.

PROMO is confident that with your help we can pass legislation that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, employment, and access to public services.

 

The Missouri Nondiscrimination Act (or MONA) would do just that.

What is MONA? The Missouri Nondiscrimination Act would simply extend the existing Missouri Human Rights Statute to include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and straight people. The current law prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age as it relates to employment, disability, and familial status as it relates to housing. This legislation would add to the list a prohibition against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Learn more about MONA: MONA Talking Points

 

Don't let our families become the next political wedge issue!

All children deserve a safe, stable, and loving home.

Every child deserves a loving family. And when there are thousands of children in Missouri who are forced to face each day without a family -- it is truly shameful that some Missouri politicians are trying to deny qualified people from becoming parents, solely because they think they can use this as another wedge issue to win elections.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens should be assessed the same as any other applicant. Excluding people based on their sexual orientation and/or gender identity from becoming foster or adoptive parents works against children's best interests.

None of these healthcare or child welfare groups support restricting gay and lesbian parenting:

- The Child Welfare League of America

- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

- American Academy of Pediatrics

- American Counseling Association

- American Psychological Association

- American Psychiatric Association

- National Association of Social Workers

- North American Council of Adoptable Children

We cannot allow right-wing politicians to rip our families apart. We cannot allow them to deny qualified people their right to be parents. We cannot allow them to deny Missouri children their right to safe, stable, and loving homes!

It is up to you to ensure that members of the LGBT community in our state are not denied foster care and adoption rights. Don't let our families and our children become the next wedge issue!

Learn more about LGBT Parenting Issues in Missouri:

Missouri Adoption Poll Results

LGBT Parenting Talking Points

Comprehensive Anti-Bullying Legislation: It's the right thing to do!

Anti-bullying legislation passed in 2006 left many Missouri students vulnerable and unprotected. The vague nature of the statute creates opportunity for bullying against vulnerable students to remain unaddressed by local school districts. PROMO is committed to addressing this issue during the 2010 legislative session.

The main flaw with the current law is that it does not include specific enumerated categories of students (e.g. race, sexual orientation, disability, etc.) against whom bullying is prohibited, and it actually prohibits the inclusion of such categories. It has been proven that students with certain characteristics are more likely to be harassed, and that the most effective way of providing protection is to clearly indicate that bullying on the basis of these actual or perceived characteristics is prohibited. This does not give special protections to these students, but rather gives teachers and administrators guidance by specifically prohibiting forms of bullying that may otherwise go unaddressed.

A safe and civil environment in school is necessary in order for students to learn and achieve high academic standards. Discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying, like other disruptive or violent behaviors, is conduct that disrupts both a student's ability to learn and the school's ability to educate its students. It is essential to enact a law that seeks to protect the health and welfare of all Missouri students and improve the learning environment in our public schools.

Learn more about Comprehensive Anti-Bullying Legislation: Anti-Bullying Talking Points