Daviess County this week became the 19th municipality in Kentucky to adopt laws protecting members of the L-G-B-T-Q from discrimination, yet it remains the only municipality in west Kentucky to pass such a law.
Of the nineteen local governments have adopted a“Fairness Ordinance” throughout Kentucky. The state has seen a spike in protective laws for the L-G-B-T-Q community, with over half the fairness ordinances adopted within the last two years.
Most of these municipalities are in northern and central Kentucky.
Mayfield Business Owner Jana Duffy said she thinks a fairness ordinance would bring new opportunities to Graves County.
“The more people who feel comfortable in a town the more people are going to move to that area, the more businesses that are going to open up,” said Duffy. “That's probably why so many people don't stay in Mayfield after they graduate from here, because nobody feels welcome and there's no business opportunity here anymore.”
The Paducah LGBTQ Welcome Center’s Director of Operations Preston Havens said the center has a five-year plan to reach out to more areas in western Kentucky.
Havens said he hopes to bring satletite LGBTQ Welcome centers into surrounding cities including Mayfield and Murray. He also said he hopes more western Kentucky counties “hop on the bandwagon.”
Christian County Judge Executive Steve Tribble said he had not considered a “fairness ordinance” before hearing about Daviess County’s ordinance passing Monday. Tribble said he wouldn’t be opposed to a fairness ordinance and can see Christian County adopting one “down the road.”
