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2002 Lambda Publications Inc. All rights reserved.
Nov. 6, 2002
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Gender Rights Victory Near
City Council Vote Expected Today After Unanimous Committee Approval
BY TRACY BAIM
While Chicago's gay-rights ordinance took nearly two decades to make it through the City Council and to the desk of then-Mayor Eugene Sawyer, an amendment adding gender-identity protections to that Human Rights Ordinance is expected to win victory today in the City Council chambers. Mayor Richard Daley said he supports the measure.
The Human Relations Committee unanimously approved the Gender Identity Amendment Oct. 31 after the testimony of four supporters. No opponents testified before the HRC, chaired by Ald. Billy Ocasio.
The effort to pass city gender-identity protections began more than seven years ago, according to the trans group It's Time, Illinois.
Four years ago, when Mary Morten was Mayor Daley's liaison to the gay community, the Mayor's Advisory Council on Gay and Lesbian Issues worked with Morten to push for the measure. The effort was delayed after Morten stepped down, until Daley replaced her many months later with Bill Greaves. Once Greaves was in place, the work was reignited by both Greaves and the Mayor's Advisory Council. ACGLI called on members of It's Time, Illinois to help increase the lobbying on the bill, and Equality Illinois also helped garner support.
With a unanimous vote in committee, the bill was expected to be voted on Nov. 6 before the full Council. While the committee meeting was kept under wraps, now that the media reported on the successful vote, a large number of people are expected at the full vote today.
Ald. Bernie Hansen and Ald. Vilma Colon are on the committee but did not attend the vote (Hansen is a co-sponsor). Those who did vote, in addition to Ocasio (26th), were: Helen Shiller (46th), Mary Ann Smith (48th), Tony Preckwinkle (4th), Rick Munoz (22nd), Latasia Thomas (17th), Leslie Hairston (5th), James Balcer (11th), and Eugene Schulter (47th).
Those who testified at the hearing were Mayor's liaison Bill Greaves; ACGLI and EI's Catherine Sikora, a trans activist; transGenesis founder and director Lorrainne Sade Baskerville; and attorney Rose Kelly, from the city's law department.
Both Ald. Schulter and Ald. Smith spoke out in favor of the bill, with Smith also apologizing that the effort took so long.
The bill defines "Gender identity" as "the actual or perceived appearance, expression, identity or behavior of a person as being male or female, whether or not that appearance, expression, identity, or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person's designated sex at birth."
It amends the Chicago personnel ordinance, which covers people employed by the city; it amends the city's Fair Housing Ordinance; and it amends the Human Rights Ordinance, which covers employment, public accommodations, and credit.
It also amends the Advisory Council on Gay and Lesbian Issues, making it the Advisory Council on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues.
"For two years this has been discussed," Ocasio said. "We needed to close the loophole in the Chicago Human Rights Ordinance that did not protect people of gender identity. It was unanimous--I think when it comes to protecting someone's rights, it is something we all agree on. It's a human-rights issue."
Ocasio said he is confident the bill will pass the Nov. 6 vote.
"The Mayor is supportive," Greaves said. "If it passes, he will sign it. It would not have gotten this far without his support."
The move to keep the committee hearings quiet was prompted in part by a letter received a few months ago from the anti-gay group Concerned Women of America. The five-page letter was strongly opposed to the gender-identity changes, Greaves said.
Jennifer Ifer, spokesperson for the city's Department of Law, said her department helped write the ordinance in a way that was going to be "legally defensible and also enforceable." They looked at other Chicago ordinances on discrimination, and researched other cities that have similar gender-identity laws.
It's Time, Illinois, which has just been renamed Illinois Gender Advocates, has been pushing for a transgender bill for seven years.
"From documenting the need for the ordinance through annual reports on discrimination, to lining up and working with the lead sponsors on the draft of the ordinance, to grassroots organizing and training of the community members, to initiating a highly successful letter-writing campaign, to working closely with the Chicago Human Relations Commission and stakeholders on the language of the ordinance, Illinois Gender Advocates has been there every step of the way," said Miranda Stevens-Miller, ILGA political director.
"The Advisory Council and Equality Illinois urge you to vote in support of the Gender Identity Amendment to the Chicago Human Rights Ordinance. ... Gender-variant people have been so historically marginalized and stereotyped by our society that most are forced to hide, living in fear of rejection by their families and friends, fear the loss of their jobs and apartments, fear for their own safety and even for their lives as they walk down the street," Sikora testified before the committee.
The potential change in Chicago law comes after another victim of transgender violence was mourned in California, and days before the national Transgender Day of Remembrance, which will include a rally Nov. 20, 6 p.m. at Thompson Center Plaza, 100 W. Randolph. Coordinated by ILGA, the event is co-sponsored by Chicago Gender Society, Equality Illinois, Howard Brown Health Center, Chicago Department of Health, Diversity of Rockford, TransGenesis, and the Chi Chapter of Tri-Ess.
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