City Council
MEETING DATE: 5/25/2016
TITLE:
Title
Adding Gender Identity to City Non-Discrimination Ordinances
End
FROM:
Charlie McClendon, City Manager
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
This item is presented for information, discussion and direction only.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The municipal code - section 11.88.010 Public Policy - establishes that it is city policy that arbitrary discrimination is prohibited. The language in the code is as follows:
It is hereby declared as the public policy of the city of Cathedral City that it is necessary to protect and safeguard the right and opportunity of all persons to be free from all forms of arbitrary discrimination, including discrimination based upon sex, marital status, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical handicap, sexual orientation and domestic partnership status. (Ord. 465 ? 4, 1997; Ord. 181 ? 1, 1987)
Similar language appears elsewhere in the code prohibiting businesses participating in the sales tax sharing program from discriminating (3.46.050) and prohibiting hotels participating in the TOT sharing program from discriminating (3.25.050).
In a recent discussion with CM Kaplan we noted that gender identity is not presently included in the ordinances and he indicated that Council may want to consider adding it.
DISCUSSION:
The Human Rights Campaign website, http://www.hrc.org/resources/sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-terminology-and-definitions, suggests that both Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation should be included in non-discrimination policies and ordinances. It provides the following definition for gender identity:
One's innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither - how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One's gender identity can be the same or different from their sex assigned at birth.
Council has already acted to protect transgender individuals through the recent passage of an ordinance requirin...
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