OLIVETTE • A full house applauded several times and gave the Olivette City Council a standing ovation upon the passage Tuesday of two gay-rights measures: a domestic partnership registry and an amendment to an anti-discrimination ordinance forbidding housing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

There was no opposition to either ordinance, either from the council members or from those in attendance.

"Bigotry in any form is bigotry," said Mayor Jean Antoine after the measures passed. "Until the state and the federal government can do this right, this is the best we can do."

Olivette residents celebrated the laws' adoption for many different reasons.

"I've been with my partner for 30 years, and we've lived in Olivette for 30 years," said Bob Niedringhaus. "It's a show of support that they respect our relationship," he said.

Janis Barrier and Sherie Schild, a couple with a child, said that the domestic registry law will make it much easier for same-sex couples to register a child or foster children in the local public school, since the domestic partnership registry defines adults living together as family.

Tracy McCreery was just happy to be part of what she sees as a welcoming community. "I've never been so proud of my City Council as I am tonight," she said. "I applaud you for being the first city in Missouri to pass both pieces of legislation and making them inclusive for both sexual orientation and gender identity."