Gay rights activists are calling for a sexual orientation provision to DeKalb’s human relations ordinance that would outline protection from discrimination.

The NIU Gay/Lesbian Union, the DeKalb Gay/Lesbian Community Foundation and the Student Association Minority Relations Committee are requesting the ordinance.

“It’s been two years and the Human Relations Commission (an advisory body to the DeKalb City Council), and they don’t want to put forth an ordinance,” said Brian Subatich, coordinator of DeKalb’s Gay/Lesbian Community Foundation and GLU member.

“We’re trying to push to make it an issue before the election. It’s time for the aldermen and the mayoral candidates to think into the 90s and show they can push forward human rights for all.”

Subatich said the GLCF and the GLU will attend the March 7 meeting of the Human Relations Commission and ask that a gay rights ordinance be placed on the DeKalb City Council’s agenda before the April 4 DeKalb mayoral election. At a meeting on Feb. 7, the commission decided to postpone the presentation of the ordinance to the council until after the election.

The extent of SA support for an ordinance is unknown because the topic has not been addressed by the senate, said Interim SA Senate Speaker Phill Buoscio. SA President Paula Radtke said she does not know the level of SA support, but she “wholeheartedly endorses that kind of ordinance.”

The GLU said 7th Ward Alderman Mark Powell has contacted the group concerning support of a gay rights ordinance. GLU President Steve Hermann said the GLU currently has not responded to Powell.

In the past, Powell has not supported a gay rights ordinance, saying this is a private matter instead of a governmental concern. Powell said he changed his position after individuals expressed interest in this type of legislation.

Other DeKalb aldermen have not been contacted concerning whether they support a gay rights ordinance, Subatich said.

DeKalb Mayor Greg Sparrow said he neither supports nor opposes a local ordinance supporting gay rights because it is not a mayoral concern. However, Sparrow said, he has opposed a gay rights ordinance at the state level because it is a local concern.

A gay rights ordinance never has been brought before the council, Sparrow said. When the question was raised in the past, the majority of council members opposed the ordinance.

“Before they try to ramrod this in a vote, it would behoove them to secure four votes (required for passage),” Sparrow said. “If the votes are not there, I don’t believe this is the time to force it on the council.”

Undocumented incidents of discrimination against gays have occurred in housing and employment, Subatich said. Because city and state ordinances do not protect gays, no legal recourse exists, he said.

Sparrow said he has received only one complaint, which he referred to the Human Relations Commission.

Subatich said the timing is right for a DeKalb gay ordinance because Chicago and several suburbs have recently passed this type of legislation.