Gay advocates press for new ordinance in Ogden

OGDEN — Gay advocates in Ogden plan to press the city's mayor for a new local ordinance to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

Brandie Balken, executive director of Equality Utah, told the Standard-Examiner of Ogden that she's hoping to make progress on legal issues during the Jan. 7 meeting.

Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey declined to comment on the issues to the newspaper.

Balken says she plans to press for an ordinance rather than a resolution because she wants any new law to have teeth.

The proposal, first brought by Ogden resident James Humphreys, is similar to laws passed in Salt Lake City and other Utah cities. It would prevent many employers and landlords from discriminating based on gender identity and sexual orientation.