COLUMBUS, Ohio -- As the year comes to a close, Columbus City Council is looking to tie up loose ends and address some new issues, including the possible extension of employment protections benefits to people who consider themselves transgendered.
One group called TransOhio is trying to pack council chambers to show its support.
City Council is extending protections when it comes to discrimination because of age, disability, pregnancy or what is called gender identity and expression.
Some people only think of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues during the annual gay pride parade each summer.
But Columbus residents struggling with discrimination because of their sexual identity are part of why council is changing the city code.
"To the public, they may appear to be female or have female characteristics, but really in fact are male. So what we're saying in the city of Columbus is, we're not going to discriminate in housing or in a job situation based on that," said Karla Rothan, of Stonewall Columbus.
"Our office will be enforcing the civil rights code with these additional protected classes so if anybody out there feels they have been discriminated against for these protected classes or the current ones, they can come to our office and give us a call," said Napoleon Bell, of the Columbus Community Relations Commission.
Gender identity isn't always obvious, but city government wants to make sure the consequences of discrimination are.
Gender identity includes men who consider themselves women or women who consider themselves men, whether they've had surgery or not.
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