On August 13, 2014, the Baton Rouge Metro Council voted out a bill, 4-8, that would help protect LGBTQ+ community members from discrimination.
Without the bill in place, they can be denied jobs, medical attention, education, and a plethora of other rights that anyone should have.
It is true that an individual organization or person can choose not to discriminate, for example LSU has multiple programs in place to make sure the LGBTQ+ community feels welcome on campus.
Although, Baton Rouge is trailing behind New Orleans; who has had anti-discrimination ordinances in place for LGBTQ+ community members since 1999 and Shreveport, since 2013.
Nothing has been seen from the Metro Council since 2014, but hopefully they will join the effort to make sure everyone feels safer in Baton Rouge.