Human Relations Commission proposal set for Council vote

For Immediate Release Nov. 6, 2009

A proposal to amend the city's anti-discrimination ordinance to prohibit discrimination based on transgender, gender identity or gender expression will be considered by the City Council during its regular meeting on Tuesday. The existing ordinance prohibits discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation based on sex, race, national origin, age, disability, religion, color and sexual orientation.

“Fort Worth has always taken the lead when it comes to recognizing the inherent value of each of its residents,” said Estrus Tucker, chairman of the city’s Human Relations Commission. “Over the past four decades, the HRC has worked to make the city more inclusive through various amendments to the ordinance. What better way to ensure that Fort Worth remains an open and inclusive community than to guarantee that no one will be discriminated against than to prohibit discrimination based on transgender, gender identity or gender expression? It’s the right thing to do.”

Fort Worth was one of the first cities in the state to adopt an anti-discrimination ordinance. The original ordinance, approved in 1967, also resulted in the creation of the Human Relations Commission — the first such municipal body in the state. Throughout its 42-year history, the commission has recommended amendments to the ordinance to prohibit discrimination against people who live and work in Fort Worth.

The proposal to extend the protection in the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance has been endorsed by the City Manager’s Diversity Task Force. It was one of 20 task force recommendations presented to the City Council during its last meeting and is the only recommendation that the City Council will consider at its Nov. 10 meeting. Only two other task force recommendations require further review and study before implementation: equal access to employee benefits and coverage for gender identification disorder treatments.

Posted by Brian Chatman at 11/06/2009 02:29:22 PM