Monessen city officials have extended protections to members of the LGBTQ community through a nondiscrimination ordinance. The action, which council passed unanimously this week, forbids discrimination in housing and employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. Protections previously were based on race, gender and religion. “Monessen’s a very diverse place even compared to a lot of the rest of the county, not only in terms of LGBTQ but in terms of race, age, all of that,” Mayor Matthew Shorraw said. “It’s so important to help support and protect all of our residents. That’s number one.”