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."

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