MARCH
¿Q07 jU.St|OUt
Governor’s Task Force on Equality
Despite these seemingly insurmountable setbacks, counter forces were beginning to gather.
Gov. Ted Kulongoski, responding to the failure of SB 1000, appointed the Task Force on
Equality in February 2006 to study the issue.
November’s election also signaled a change. DemiKrats retained their Senate majority but
also seized the House. Kulongoski soundly beat his Republican opponent, the self-styled
“family values” candidate, Ron Saxton. His re-election strengthened his position relative to
his politically weaker first term, when his election came from a more narrow victory and
Kulongoski faced a divided Legislature.
In mid-December 2006, just a few weeks after Kulongoski’s re-election, the 11-member
task force released a 28-page report with two key recommendations. After studying the issue
in Oregon and the United States, including a review of legal precedents and laws in other
states and localities, the task force recommended that Oregon enact anti-discrimination
protections and legalize a form of civil union similar to the Vermont model that went into
effect in January 2001.
The task force concluded that protections taken for granted by other “suspect” classes—
including racial, ethnic and religious groups with a history of persecution—should be extended
to sexual minorities. According to
the report, certain rights enjoyed
Activist Christine Chavez told citizen lobbyists that her commitment to gay rights would continue until
same-sex couples were afforded the same rights extended to her and her husband, Oscar Gonzalez.
¡Sí, Se Puede!
under marriage and other related
statutes in civil law by the straight
majority should be extended to
gay Oregonians. Citing the criti
Activists rally for equality
cal importance of equality to
by Jaymee R. Cuti
make the state competitive in the
JV es, we can" was a battle cry for the
world economy and to attract
approximately 500 Oregonians who
businesses, the authors concluded
gathered March 7 at the Oregon Capitol
Kulongoski said the “basic fairness package” is in
that the Legislature must act to
for a lobbying event and rally organized
line with his “highest priority to grow the Oregon
rectify the lack of equal protection
by Basic Rights Oregon.
economy," which, he added, leads to safer cities, better
under the law, seeing it as a matter
The mantra was led by Christine Chavez, grand
of basic fairness.
daughter of United Farm Workers of America co
The Oregon Equality Act,
founder César Chavez.
Senate Bill 2, was introduced in
and would amend Oregon’s anti
in the labor and civil rights movements, educated her
As chairwoman of the Ethics, Elections and Rules
Committee, state Rep. Diane Rosenbaum introduced
House Bill 2007.
cessor, Senate Bill 1000.
schools and greater opportunity for citizens. “It’s moral
ly unacceptable not to.”
The governor, wielding a pen poised to sign the bills
Chavez, who carries out her grandfathers activism
the Senate Judiciary Committee
in the 2005 session, which swallowed the bills’ prede
into law, bellowed: “Bring me the bills. This is the session
we will make Oregon the land of opportunity for all.”
Salem audience about the revolutionary’s lifetime com
Others who spoke in support of the measures were
mitment to equality for gays—a controversial position,
state Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem; House
particularly among Catholic Latino families in the
Speaker Jeff Merkley, D-Portland; Rep. Tina Kotek,
ty to the familiar categories of race, religion, national origin and disability. The statute would
1970s. “You can’t champion equality for your own
D-Portland; Senate Majority Leader Kate Brown,
prohibit discrimination in the areas of housing, public accommodation, employment, educa
people when you tolerate discrimination,” Chávez said.
D-Portland; House Majority Leader Dave Hunt,
tion and public services. The bill underwent public hearings in committee March 12 and was
Oregonians posed as citizen lobbyists to discuss Senate
D-Clackamas County; and Portland City Commissioner
voted out of committee by a 3-1 vote. The dissenting vote was cast by state Sen. Jeff Kruse,
Bill 2, the Oregon Equality Act, and House Bill 2007, the
Sam Adams. State Sens. Avel Gordly, 1-Portland; Alan
R-Roseburg, who claimed the bill was ptxtrly written and would violate the constitution.
Oregon Family Fairness Act, with lawmakers in their
Bates, D-Ashland; and Ben Westlund, D-Tumalo, and
Under the current patchwork of protection provided by mostly urban counties and munic
districts. SB 2 stood up to a committee hearing March
Treasurer Randall Edwards took the stage in a show of
ipalities, queer citizens might have no protection or full protection depending on where they
12 and passed with a 3-1 vote. Next, the bill heads to
support. Darryl! Moch, executive director of Brother to
live and work. Absurdly, a woman might be protected in her home ZIP code but not in her
the full Senate floor for a debate and vote. HB 2007
Brother, was the rally’s master of ceremonies.
employer’s ZIP code five or 10 miles away, and could theoretically be fired without recourse for
will likely be debated in committee early next month.
Rounding out the day of activism were education
The bills were created in direct response to recom
al workshops titled “Building a Trans-Inclusive
discrimination statutes to add sex
ual orientation and gender identi
no other reason than being lesbian.
Bryan Boyd, communications coordinator for Basic Rights Oregon, said his organization,
mendations made by Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s Task Force
Movement,” “Racial Justice," “Faith in Action” and
which helped craft the bill, is pleased with the final product. “Without a doubt, we fully back
on
“Immigrant Rights Equals GLBT Rights...Really?"
this legislation.” Boyd pointed out that the bill will protect gays only in Oregon, but by setting
December. SB 2 and HB 2007 address discrimination
a single, enforceable standard here, it will bring a significant improvement to the quality of life
and legally recognized relationships, respectively.
for sexual minority residents.
Equality,
which announced
its findings
in
Supportive lawmakers who attended the rally and
Chavez had this message for sexual minority
Oregonians that she learned from her grandfather’s
movement: “It takes time. We have setbacks, but it
opening session described a climate of support for
Continued on Page 22
keeps moving forward. You constantly remember si, se
equality legislation at the Capitol that u’as not present [ puede to energize your base, just like farmworkers.” ©
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