JANUARY 5. 2007 jUSt|OUt ) 19
queer person has been appointed to a
Cabinet-level position.
Hudson, an attorney, chairs the council’s
Jobs and Economic Development Committee.
From 1989 to L996, she was a deputy liquida
tor and special services attorney for the Ohio
Department of Insurance and Office of rhe
Ohio Insurance Liquidator.
The state has a history ot unfriendly legisla
tion toward gays. In 2004, Ohio voters passed a
constitutional amendment banning same-sex
marriage. In the last legislative session,
Republicans attempted to pass a bill preventing
gay couples from adopting children.
Strickland’s election followed a particularly
State Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego, authored
acrimonious campaign in which his Republican
California's equal benefits bill.
opponent, Ken Blackwell, compared gays to
employer has taken to heart that discrimination
criminals in a newspaper report.
against people with HIV is wrong and has agreed to
Strickland opposes same-sex marriage but has
have new policies and training,” Hickman said.
generally reached out to the sexual minorities
community. Hudson’s appointment must now be
NEW JERSEY
confirmed by the state Senate.
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OHIO
New Gov. Appoints First Gay
Cabinet Member
Democratic Governor-elect Ted Strickland has
appointed Columbus City Councilwoman Mary Jo
Hudson to direct the Department of Insurance. It
is the first time in Ohio history that an openly
TEXAS
Employment Discrimination
Lawsuit Filed
A lawsuit was filed Dec. 18 in federal court in
the Southern District of Texas on behalf of Izza
Lopez, a transgender woman whose employment
offer was rescinded because she is transgender.
“When the HR director found out the company
offered a job to a transgender person, the offer was
rescinded,” said Cole Thaler, transgender rights
attorney at Lambda Legal. “Even though Izza was the
best applicant for the job, the company decided that
it didn’t want a transgender employee and claimed
that she ‘misrepresented’ herself.”
Lopez, a 26-year-old transgender woman,
applied for the position of scheduler with River
Oaks Imaging and Diagnostic, a Houston medical
imaging company, in September 2005. She sent in
her resume, was invited in for an interview, com
pleted a background check and drug test, and was
asked to start work as soon as possible Oct. 4, 2005.
Lopez gave notice to her employer the follow
ing day and planned to start working at River Oaks
the week of Oct. 24. On Oct. 10, however, she
received a phone call from River Oaks’ human
resources director and one of its employment
recruiters saying that River Oaks was rescinding its-
offer of employment because of her “misrepresenta
tion” of herself as a woman. Lopez was unable to get
her previous job back and was without employment
for several months.
The lawsuit charges that
River Oaks violated Lopez’s
rights under Title VII of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, the
federal law prohibiting sex
discrimination in employment.
“As an applicant, I was inter
viewed by a manager and a direc
tor who both ^It I was qualified
to do the job,” said Lopez. "I was
shocked when 1 received the call
from human resources taking
away the job they’d offered me—
it felt as if they’d said to me,
‘You’re a monster; we don’t want
you here.’ " ^¿)
Out lesbian Columbus City Councilwoman Mary Jo Hudson was
appointed to a Cabinet-level position by Ohio's new governor.
Compiled by J aymee R. C uti
J
J
Trans Nondiscrimination Bill Passes
By a 69-5 vote, the New Jersey Assembly voted
Dec. 14 to amend the state’s nondiscrimination
laws to protect transgender people from discrimina
tion. The Senate approved the companion bill by
a 31-5 vote. Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine is
expected to sign the measure into law.
As a result, New Jersey will become the ninth
state to extend statutory nondiscrimination protec
tions based on gender identity and expression.
With New Jersey’s new Taw, 34 percent of the
nation’s population will live in a jurisdiction with
a clearly transgender-inclusive nondiscrimination
law, up from just 6 percent only five years ago. In
addition, several states have favorable court or
administrative rulings that protect transgender
people from discrimination.
“The overwhelming bipartisan margins of
support in both houses of the New Jersey
Legislature prove this is not a ‘controversial’ issue.
Legislators clearly understand that discrimination
against transgender people is pervasive and that it
is wrong,” said Matt Foreman, executive director of
the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
I
THF HAROLD SCHNIT-ZFR FAMILY PROGRAM IN JUDAIC
STUDIES AT PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY PRESENTS
The Second Annual G us &
Libby Solomon Lecture Series
Dedicated to exploring the American Jewish experience and the ideals of social
justice promoted hy the Solomons throughout their lifetime.
FEATURING
Rabbi Steven Greenberg
the first gay Orthodox rabhi
Wrestling with God & Men:
Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition
Wednesday, January 17, 2007, 7 pm
Smith Memorial Student Union
Ballroom (third floor)
Portland State University
FREE ADMISSION
Complimentary parking available SW 6th Avenue, between SW Harrison and Hall
For more information or to discuss group seating, contact Ann Usher at
ushera0pdx.edu or call 503-725-5057.
Portland State
UNIVERSITY