Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury on Thursday barred county staff from making any publically-funded trips to North Carolina, following the passage of a law in that state that strips protections for lesbian, gay and transgender people.
“We are standing together to condemn North Carolina’s Public Facilities Privacy and Securities Act, which openly discriminates against the LGBTQ community.” Kafoury said on behalf of Board of Commissioners. “We all agree that we will not sit by and tolerate discrimination against any of our community members.”
The North Carolina law specifically targets people who identify as transgender, forcing them to use bathrooms based on the gender listed on their birth certificate, even when a person lives as their preferred gender and in cases where a person has undergone gender reassignment surgery. (Here’s a good primer on what the law means).
The move came after the City of Charlotte in February extended its nondiscrimination ordinance to protect gays and lesbians and to allow transgender residents to use the bathroom that fits their preferred gender.
Commissioner Loretta Smith agreed with the Chair’s sentiment.
“As policymakers we need to treat everyone with dignity and respect,” she said. “It’s very troubling. I do stand with you on your directive.”
The county joins the Portland City Council, a handful of other major cities, and the governors of New York, Washington and Vermont in banning employees from nonessential travel to the state.
For Multnomah County Commissioner Diane McKeel, the North Carolina action was particularly egregious for taking a step backward, she said.
“Not only is the new state law anti-equality, but it’s telling a city that wants to be better that it can’t be better,” she said. “I want our employees to know we would never force them to travel to a place that embraces outright discrimination.”
It seemed as if the country was moving past the question of sexuality and gender, said Commissioner Jules Bailey. “I’m very troubled we’re in the position where we have to do this, in 2016,” he said. “This is a strong signal our work is not done in the fight for equality and justice.”
Commissioner Judy Shiprack said her county’s move is the natural outcome of years of support of LGBTQ residents in Oregon. She called on Oregon Governor Kate Brown to follow suit.
“I hope the state of Oregon will soon follow and our governor will take similar action,” she said. “Not only to not force travel to places that deny basic human civil rights, but in fact not to allow it.”