As a city councilman, Bill Foster was the first to come out against an anti-discrimination ordinance aimed at protecting gay and lesbian employees and citizens from discrimination in 2001. Now that Foster is a candidate for mayor, his tune may be changing slightly.
In mid-September, Foster met with LGBT business leaders at Georgie’s Alibi to answer questions and discuss their concerns.
'I’m not conceding the [gay] vote,’ Foster said. 'I want to be their mayor.’
Equality Florida and the Suncoast Stonewall Democrats have endorsed Kathleen Ford for mayor. Ford, who participated in the 2009 St. Pete Pride street festival, said she would sign the city’s proclamation recognizing the day and ensure equal protections for all citizens.
Foster, who has called homosexuality a 'lifestyle choice,’ once viewed anti-discrimination ordinances protecting gays and lesbians as 'special protections.’ But during a debate at the King of Peace Metropolitan Community Church this past June, he said he would check into providing domestic partnership benefits to city employees if it was affordable.
Foster said the city has many weighty issues to battle over the next four years. He invited business owners, including St. Pete Pride co-founder Brian Longstreth, to a luncheon at Georgie’s to make that point stick.
His strategy has convinced some in the community.
'He made an apology for things he might have said in the past about the gay community and human rights,’ realtor Bob Barnum told the St. Petersburg Times. 'I believed him to be sincere.’
St. Petersburg city elections take place on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
