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NEWS from the
Human Rights Campaign

919 18th Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20006
email: hrc@hrc.org
http://www.hrc.org
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2002

Contact: David M. Smith
Phone: (202) 216-1547
Cell: (202) 251-1447

Contact: Wayne Besen
Phone: (202) 216-1580
Cell: (202) 256-4421

HRC PRAISES CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL FOR PASSING ORDINANCE PROTECTING
TRANSGENDER RESIDENTS

Educational Efforts Pay Off With Major Victory in One of America's Largest
Cities, Says HRC

WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign praised Chicago's City Council today
for approving an ordinance that protects transgender people from
discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations and credit
transactions based on gender identity or expression.
"This ordinance will certainly reverberate regionally and even
nationally," said HRC National Field Director Seth Kilbourn. "It sends a
great message that transgender people should have the same rights and
protections as any other citizen. Illinois Gender Advocates did a stellar
job of educating and galvanizing the City Council to support this measure."
HRC awarded Illinois Gender Advocates a $5,000 Equality Fund grant
to help organize grassroots support for the ordinance and HRC board member
Tom Chaderjian helped to lobby Democratic Mayor Richard Daley. Local
organizers also gathered letters of support from national organizations,
including HRC, to show the breadth of support for the measure.
Fifty-seven local jurisdictions prohibit discrimination on the basis
of gender identity or expression. Thanks to the hard work of transgender
activists around the country, says HRC, 12 of those ordinances passed in
2002. These jurisdictions are: Allentown, New Hope, Erie County and
Philadelphia, Pa.; Buffalo and New York, N.Y.; Decatur, Ill.; Dallas; Salem,
Ore.; Tacoma, Wash., Boston and Chicago.
Two states -- Minnesota and Rhode Island -- have statutory
prohibitions on gender identity discrimination in employment. Another four
states -- Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York -- prohibit
gender identity discrimination in employment through judicial rulings or
administrative orders.
The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay
political organization, with members throughout the country. It effectively
lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to
ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans can be open,
honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.

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Heather Wellman
Field Coordinator
Human Rights Campaign
919 18th St., NW
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202/628-4160, ext. 4019
Fax: 202/347-5323
E-mail: heather.wellman@hrc.org
Working for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equal rights.