Official City of Tulsa policy now prohibits discrimination based on someone’s gender identity or gender expression.
With Mayor G.T. Bynum’s executive order, Tulsa is extending employment protections to people who are transgender. In a statement, Bynum said the move will help create a workplace based on trust and respect, putting the city in a better position to attract and keep the best employees.
Oklahomans for Equality Medical Services Coordinator Alex Wade said it’s a big step right now.
"Recently, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to allow for discrimination of trans people in the workplace. So, the fact that Mayor Bynum, in this political climate, made that statement speaks really loudly to the fact that we’re trying to take steps forward for equality here in Tulsa," Wade said.
Several U.S. cities, including Dallas, Denver and Phoenix, have similar non-discrimination policies, as do the majority of Fortune 500 companies. Wade said Tulsa's LGBTQ community has been pushing for such protections for years.
"You know, for people in bigger cities, it may not seem like much, but for Tulsa, this is a big deal, and we need to take that perspective and keep moving forward," Wade said.
In 2015, the City of Tulsa instituted protection from discrimination in housing for LGBTQ persons.
Wade said the next step should be state laws offering protections to the LGBTQ community, including a ban on discrimination at public accommodations like shops and restaurants.
"Pretty regularly, we try to do business with people in this town, and then they’re told that they don’t like our kind here. And that’s words that have actually been said to us," Wade said.
The City of Tulsa accepts complaints of discrimination in public accommodations through its Office of Resilience and Equity.
