Sinema serves as leader on LGBT issues in Arizona legislature

Fri, Apr 4th 2008, 09:47

Days after devising a legislative maneuver that effectively killed Arizona's proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage, State Rep. Kyrsten Sinema is making headlines again by spearheading a petition drive to forbid employers from discriminating against the LGBT community.

According to the East Valley Tribune, Sinema's initiative would add gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation to the state's existing discrimination law. She would need to collect more than 150,000 signatures by July to place the issue on the ballot.

While Sinema said she'll drop the petition drive if the supporters of the constitutional ban on marriage equality abandon their efforts, such a course of events is unlikely.

The paper reports:

Cathi Herrod, president of the Center for Arizona Policy, also said she intends to push ahead with trying to get lawmakers to put the marriage amendment on the ballot.

"No deal," she said.

"The people of Arizona need to decide the definition of marriage and put it in our state constitution," Herrod said. "We don't compromise on an issue like marriage between one man and one woman."

Sinema said that's fine with her. She said the law needs to be changed anyway.

"Right now, not all workers are protected under Arizona law," she said.