"We do not see things as they are; we see things as we are."
- Anais Nin
Multnomah County Revises Affirmative Action Policies (3 Jan 2001)
IT'S TIME, OREGON!
Press Release!
NEWS *** NEWS *** NEWS *** NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Lori Buckwalter,
Executive Director
(transgal@yahoo.com)
Wednesday, January 3, 2001
MULTNOMAH COUNTY, OREGON REVISES AFFIRMATIVE
ACTION POLICIES TO INCLUDE GENDER IDENTITY
PORTLAND, OR -- Following in the footsteps of the
Portland City Council, the Multnomah County Board
of Commissioners will expand its civil rights
protections to transgendered individuals.
Multnomah County includes the City of Portland
and surrounding areas.
On Thursday December 21, the five-member board
unanimously approved an amendment to its bylaws
that prohibits officials from discriminating in
hiring for county jobs on the basis of gender
identity, defined as "A person's actual or
perceived sex, and includes a person's identity,
appearance or behavior whether or not that
identity, appearance or behavior is different
from that traditionally associated with the
person's sex at birth." This policy will take
effect March 30, 2001.
The County Human Resources staff will develop
implementation strategies that will include
education about gender identity issues in their
anti-discrimination and workplace violence
training. In addition, they will respond to
specific requests for assistance in the workplace
with facilitation, mediation, or training as
appropriate.
The County Board of Commissioners has also
mandated the formation of a workgroup to create a
formal civil rights ordinance this coming year,
which will include gender identity protections.
Lori Buckwalter, Executive Director of It’s Time,
Oregon!, advocated for and testified in support
of the proposed changes, and observes, "Multnomah
County has acted with wisdom and compassion in
enacting these protections. Their willingness to
provide resources for understanding trans issues
and resolving confusions or misunderstandings
indicates their real commitment to this
initiative."