WOODFORD COUNTY, Ky. — Members of the LGBTQ community are now protected against discrimination in all of Woodford County. With a 5 to 3 vote earlier this month, Woodford County became the first Kentucky county to pass a fairness ordinance in 20 years.
Even before this, the two incorporated cities, Midway and Versailles, already had fairness ordinances in place. Midway passed a fairness ordinance in 2015 and Versailles passed a fairness ordinance in the fall of 2019.
While the topic was fresh on everyone's minds, Woodford County Magistrate Liles Taylor and his colleagues decided to discuss expanding the ordinance for everyone in the county.
"More than half of our county lives outside of city limits, so there are a lot of folks that didn't have this protection, even with the passage in the two cities," Taylor said.
There was some division over the matter, but it ultimately passed, becoming the 18th municipality in the Commonwealth to do so and just the third county, joining Fayette and Jefferson.
Taylor described the fairness ordinance as an anti-discrimination ordinance. While many individuals were already protected against discrimination through state and federal statutes, members of the LGBTQ community were not. There is no state or federal laws protecting people from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
"These are about extending those civil rights to individuals who might be discriminated against according to those things," Taylor said.
Taylor said the ordinance does not require a minister or anyone else to officiate a wedding, which was often brought up as a concern from opponents and people who were on the fence about the matter.
It does protect people from discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations.
"I can't tell you how many people have reached out to me or other members of the court or county officials that have said they live here and for the first time feel they are welcome in their own community," Taylor said.
The Fairness Campaign took to social media to congratulate Woodford County on the decision. The organization created a map showing the areas in the state that have a fairness ordinance.
The Daviess County Fiscal Court is considering a fairness ordinance. That discussion is currently in the public hearings process.