Article snippet: Voters in Alaska's largest city have become the first in the U.S. to defeat a so-called bathroom bill referendum that asked them to require people to use public bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender at birth. Anchorage voters turned down a proposition that would have repealed part of a city ordinance that allowed people to use public bathroom and locker rooms according to their gender identity and would have instead required them to use those facilities according to their gender at birth. Voting by mail and in person ended on April 3 and the repeal effort was losing 53-47 percent as of Monday, with nearly 78,000 votes counted and only several hundred to be counted when tallying ends on Friday. Supporters of the referendum conceded defeat. Transgender activists hailed the victory, which they said could provide momentum ahead of similar upcoming votes, including one in Massachusetts in November. "Not only is this a victory for Anchorage, but a victory nationally," said Lillian Lennon, who campaigned against the Anchorage vote. "Transgender discrimination is popping up everywhere, and this victory means that as a nation we can stand together against discrimination," she said. Currently 19 states plus the District of Columbia include gender identity as a protected class in statewide public accommodations laws, according to Colorado-based Family Policy Alliance, a public policy partner of the conservative Focus on the Family organization. Resea... Link to the full article to read more