The Manhattan City Commission voted 3-2 in favor of a new ordinance advertised as protecting individuals from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and “gender identity,” but that in fact presents a grave threat to religious liberty. The Diocesan Attorney for the Catholic Diocese of Salina testified that the proposed ordinance lacks sufficient protections for religious organizations, and that even if a sufficient religious exemption were included, the entire project would grant official sanction to the proposition that orthodox Christian teaching on sexuality is discriminatory and wrong. It is expected that the City Commission will revisit the issue in January.