City to recognize gender identity in Bloomington's anti-discrimination code

Applause erupted at Wednesday's Common Council meeting as Bloomington joined 78 other cities and counties nationwide in recognizing "gender identity" as a protected class.\nThe unanimously passed ordinance, co-sponsored by Council President Chris Sturbaum and Councilman David Sabbagh, adds gender identity to the Bloomington Municipal Code's list of protected classes which currently include race, religion, color, sex, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation and disability.\n"I brought this ordinance forth in the best tradition of being a Republican," Sabbagh said. "Individuals should be able to rise forth to the best of their abilities without the fear of discrimination."\nUnder the new ordinance, gender identity will be defined as meaning "a person's actual or perceived gender-related attributes, self-image, appearance, expression or behavior, whether such characteristics differ from those traditionally associated with the person's assigned sex at birth."\nBree Hartlage, president of the Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance, let out a sigh of relief as the ordinance passed 9-0, signaling the culmination of two years of advocacy work by the group.\n"My mind, body and soul are now congruent," she said, referring to her own status as a transgender person. "This will not go unnoticed at the statehouse level. We're only at the beginning of our civil rights struggle."\nAdvocates argued that amending the code not only ensured codified protection, but would educate the public about what they believe is a form of discrimination.\nPastor Dave Curell from Bloomington's Church of the Good Shepherd voiced opposition to the ordinance based on religious grounds.\n"Everyone here is already protected from discrimination based on the sex they were born with," Curell said. "You may end up saying 'yes' to this legislation, but God says, 'no.'"\nSabbagh read aloud from an e-mail he received from a transgender resident of the community who felt too afraid to appear publicly.\nThe e-mail commended the council for amending the current ordinance.\n"This person says we're brave to pass this ordinance," Sabbagh said. "But I think it's the people in the trans community who are the brave ones, because they look at their lives honestly, and say that they cannot live a lie, and take that major step. I have nothing but admiration for them."\nCurrently, there are ordinances from 78 cities and counties, statutes from nine states, policies from 82 Fortune 500 companies and 37 colleges and universities prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity, according to the legislative packet.\nIU does not presently honor gender identity as a protected class.