north west news
OREGON S LGBTO NEWSMAGAZINE
APRIL 15. 2011
►
BY RYAN J. PR ADO
Merkley, Kirk, Harkin and
Collins Reintroduce ENDA to
Senate
was quoted as saying, “I don’t wanna talk about
it on TV. I’m not going to go into any kind of
a confrontational thing on TV, because the
On Thursday, April 14, Senators Jeff M erk
parade isn’t confrontational.”
ley (D-Ore.), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Tom Harkin
She also explained that the board felt that
(D-Iowa) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) intro
SOPride’s entry didn’t “quite fit” the family
duced to the Senate the Employment Non-
affair, adding, “There’s a parade for them in-
Discrimination Act (ENDA) to prohibit job
Ashland.”
discrimination based on sexual orientation and
Just Out made several attempts to contact
gender identity. The announcement follows the
the Pear Blossom board, as well as Mann-Self,
réintroduction of ENDA in the House by
but was unable to obtain any response to ques
openly gay Congressman Barney Frank (D-
tions pertaining to the reasoning behind their
I
Mass.) on April 6, albeit it with 92 fewer co
initial refusal to allow SOPride to participate in
sponsors than the measure gathered before the
the parade. DuQuenne was not given a reason
close of the 111th Congress last year.
either. SOPride was eventually granted entry to
ENDA would prohibit employers, employ your sexual orientation or gender identity.”
Ashland-based nonprofit organization re the parade after M ann-Self met with the ex
ment agencies, labor organizations and joint
Currently, it remains legal in 29 states to ported to KOBI Channel 5 News in Medford ecutive board of Pear Blossom.
labor-management committees from firing, fire or refuse to hire someone for being lesbian, a generally positive experience marching in
“I think they probably looked at the part
refusing to hire or discriminating against gay or bisexual, while transgender workers can the parade.
where it’s probably not legal to deny people
those employed or seeking employment on be denied or refused jobs in 37 states.
On April 5, KOBI News reported that the into a community event,” says DuQuenne.
the basis o f their perceived or actual sexual
Just O ut willfollow the progress o f E N D A in Pear Blossom board had denied SOPride en “They probably went and thought about some
orientation or gender identity. Such protec the House and Senate as information becomes try to march in the annual parade. The organi o f the ramifications and changed their mind.”
tions are already in place prohibiting discrimi available.
zation was encouraged to instead obtain a
D uQ uenne reports that M ann-Self has
nation based on race, religion, gender, national
booth for the festival— though there were no apologized to SOPride and D uQ uenne for
origin, age and disability.
more booths to be had. Soon after, SOPride the initial denial o f the organization’s wishes
Southern Oregon Pride
“The right to work hard and earn a living is
president Gina D uQ uenne’s protests prom pt to march in the parade, and that they’ve ac
Finds
Positivity
in
Pear
a fundamental right,” said Sen. Merkley via
ed the Medford City A ttorney’s office to in cepted the apology and are “moving forward.”
Blossom
Parade
After
Initial
press release. “It is essential to the success of a
vestigate the matter, and locals to voice their D uQ uenne says she has still received no writ
family. It is essential to the pursuit o f happi Denial of Entry
outrage.
ten or verbal apology from the board itself as
ness. It is part o f equality under the law. The
Following Southern Oregon Pride’s initial
During a news report about the parade, and o f press time.
test o f whether you can get and hold a job denial of entry into M edford’s Pear Blossom the Pear Blossom board’s denial o f SO Pride’s
“I think it would be very smart on behalf of
should be whether you can do the job, not Festival Parade— held Saturday, April 10— the application, festival director Darcy M ann-Self Pear Blossom to give a written apology,” says
Jeff M erkley is m ad as
hell, and he's not going
to take it anym ore!
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