Will be reviewed at the April 14, 2021 membership meeting. Board recommends do pass.
PROPOSED Resolution Calling for the King County Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Task Force of the Executive Branch to Adopt a Gender Transition Policy for Employees
WHEREAS the Democratic Party is a progressive party, committed to gender equity and social justice and the 34th Legislative District is similarly committed to these values; and
WHEREAS transgender, gender-variant and gender-nonconforming people frequently experience discrimination on both macro and microaggression levels; and
WHEREAS discrimination against people based on their actual or perceived gender identity or expression detrimentally affects psychological, physical, social, and economic well-being (Bockting et al., 2017); and
WHEREAS transgender, gender variant and gender nonconforming people experience a disproportionate rate of homelessness (National Alliance to End Homelessness 2020); and
WHEREAS a workplace gender transition policy can protect vulnerable employees from discrimination, and help recruit and retain a diverse workforce; and
WHEREAS King County code prohibits discrimination against employees based on race, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, disability among other protections, and people who identify as both transgender, and Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and or disabled experience higher rates of discrimination compared to people who are transgender and white alone (James et al., 2016); and
WHEREAS King County can, through its responsibilities as an employer, create a more inclusive workplace by adopting a gender transition policy for its employees that addresses the management of workplace records, implementation of gender neutral bathrooms and expectation from employees, and identification of the person(s) in the organization who will be charged with supporting employees with their transition and ongoing needs,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the 34th District Democrats support King County’s efforts to create gender identity and sexual orientation inclusion strategies and the creation of a gender transition policy for its employees by September 1, 2021.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the 34th District Democrats support the call for King County to adopt a gender transition policy for its employees; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED this resolution be sent to the King County Executive and Council for action.
Submitted by Janine Anzalota, PCO, State Committee Person for consideration by the 34th Legislative District Democrats.
References
Bockting, W., Coleman, E., Deutsch., Guillamon, A., Meyer I., Meyer, W., Reisner S., & Etner, R (2017). Adult Development and Quality of Life of Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2016 Apr; 23(2): 188–197. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4809047/
National Alliance to End Homelessness (July 14, 2020). EndHomelessness.org. https://endhomelessness.org/resource/data-snapshot-trans-and-gender-non-conforming-individuals-experience-homelessness-at-higher-rates/
James, S, E., Herman, J. L., Rankin, S., Keisling, M., Mottet, L., & Anafi, M. (2016). The Report of the 2015 U.S Transgender Survey, Washington, DC: National Center for Transgender Equality. https://www.transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/usts/USTS%20Full%20Report%20-%20FINAL%201.6.17.pdf