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June 27, 2022 Newsletter
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Connect with the Commission
From Left to right: the Intersex Inclusive Progress Pride Flag, the Washington State Flag, and the American Flag with the MIA/POW Flag below it on flag poles waving in the wind with wispy white clouds on a bright sunny day
Rainbow Flag Raising on Capitol Campus
On Tuesday, June 21st, Governor Inslee and representatives of all branches of state government along with the WA State LGBTQ Commission and members of RAIN, gathered to raise the intersex-inclusive progress rainbow flag on the Capitol Campus. This makes Washington the first and only state that has adopted this version of the flag, and sends a strong message to every LGBTQ Washingtonian that YOU BELONG here.
You can access the recording of the event by visiting this link on TVW, and you can see some pictures from the day by visiting the Governor’s social media pages here.
Statement regarding The US Supreme Court Decision Overturning Roe vs. Wade
On June 24th, a majority of Justices of the United States Supreme Court stripped women and people who can give birth from their rights to privacy and to making decisions about their own health. With the overturn of Roe v. Wade, millions of people in the United States lost their right to access reproductive healthcare and access to termination of pregnancies. Moreover, on his concurrent decision, Justice Thomas made clear the Court’s desire to overturn three important past decisions that protect people’s access to contraceptives, people’s rights to privacy, and the right to marry the person you love regardless of the sexual orientation or gender identity of the couple.
While several states around the country are now effectively banning abortions and placing women’s and people who can get pregnant’s lives at risk, Washington will continue to protect people’s rights to access abortions.
Governor Jay Inslee has joined California Governor Newsom, and Oregon Governor Brown to reassure women and people who can get pregnant that Washington, California, and Oregon are safe places for all. This coalition of states will continue to provide safe access to reproductive services, including abortion procedures. The states will also ensure that no person from states where abortion is now effectively banned, is punished in any form by seeking abortion services in our state. You can read the Governors statements here, and watch their video message here.
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson has also indicated his office’s support to protect people’s rights to access abortions. Moreover, Ferguson reminds Washingtonians that the State Legislature has codified women’s and people who can get pregnant’s rights to access abortions in our state by passing HB1851, titled “Preserving a pregnant individual's ability to access abortion care”, signed into law by Governor Inslee earlier this year. You can read Attorney General Ferguson’s statement here.
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Connect with the Community
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The U.S. Department of Education Releases Proposed Changes to Title IX Regulations, Invites Public Comment
Department Commemorates 50 Years of Protecting and Advancing the Rights of All Students
Today, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX – the landmark civil rights law that has opened doors for generations of women and girls – the U.S. Department of Education released for public comment proposed changes to the regulations that help elementary and secondary schools and colleges and universities implement this vital legislation. The proposed amendments will restore crucial protections for students who are victims of sexual harassment, assault, and sex-based discrimination – a critical safety net for survivors that was weakened under previous regulations. The proposed regulations will advance educational equity and opportunity for women and girls across the country to ensure that every student in America, from kindergarten through a doctorate degree, can achieve her dreams.
“Over the last 50 years, Title IX has paved the way for millions of girls and women to access equal opportunity in our nation’s schools and has been instrumental in combating sexual assault and sexual violence in educational settings,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of this landmark law, our proposed changes will allow us to continue that progress and ensure all our nation’s students – no matter where they live, who they are, or whom they love – can learn, grow, and thrive in school. We welcome public comment on these critical regulations so we can further the Biden-Harris Administration’s mission of creating educational environments free from sex discrimination and sexual violence.”
The proposed regulations will advance Title IX’s goal of ensuring that no person experiences sex discrimination, sex-based harassment, or sexual violence in education. As the Supreme Court wrote in Bostock v. Clayton County, 140 S. Ct. 1731 (2020), it is “impossible to discriminate against a person” on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity without “discriminating against that individual based on sex.” The regulations will require that all students receive appropriate supports in accessing all aspects of education. They will strengthen protections for LGBTQI+ students who face discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. And they will require that school procedures for complaints of sex discrimination, including sexual violence and other sex-based harassment, are fair to all involved. The proposed regulations also reaffirm the Department’s core commitment to fundamental fairness for all parties, respect for freedom of speech and academic freedom, respect for complainants’ autonomy, and clear legal obligations that enable robust enforcement of Title IX.
The proposed regulations would:
- Clearly protect students and employees from all forms of sex discrimination.
- Provide full protection from sex-based harassment.
- Protect the right of parents and guardians to support their elementary and secondary school children.
- Require schools to take prompt and effective action to end any sex discrimination in their education programs or activities – and to prevent its recurrence and remedy its effects.
- Protect students and employees who are pregnant or have pregnancy-related conditions.
- Require schools to respond promptly to all complaints of sex discrimination with a fair and reliable process that includes trained, unbiased decisionmakers to evaluate the evidence.
- Require schools to provide supportive measures to students and employees affected by conduct that may constitute sex discrimination, including students who have brought complaints or been accused of sex-based harassment.
- Protect LGBTQI+ students from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.
- Clarify and confirm protection from retaliation for students, employees, and others who exercise their Title IX rights.
- Improve the adaptability of the regulations’ grievance procedure requirements so that all recipients can implement Title IX’s promise of nondiscrimination fully and fairly in their educational environments.
- Ensure that schools share their nondiscrimination policies with all students, employees, and other participants in their education programs or activities.
The Department will engage in a separate rulemaking to address Title IX’s application to athletics.
The Department’s comprehensive review of its Title IX regulations began in March 2021, as directed by Executive Order 14021 – Guaranteeing an Educational Environment Free From Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity. The Department has sought public input throughout that process. Over the last year, the Department has heard from a wide variety of stakeholders, including students, parents, and educators in elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools, state government representatives, advocates, lawyers, researchers, and other stakeholders through the Title IX nationwide virtual public hearing in June 2021 convened by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and in numerous listening sessions and meetings. This input, together with careful review of federal case law and OCR’s enforcement work under Title IX, highlighted the need to revise the current regulations to protect more fully against sex discrimination in all education programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.
“The proposed regulations reflect the Department’s commitment to give full effect to Title IX, ensuring that no person experiences sex discrimination in education, and that school procedures for addressing complaints of sex discrimination, including sexual violence and other forms of sex-based harassment, are clear, effective, and fair to all involved,” said Catherine E. Lhamon, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.
The Department’s proposed Title IX regulations will be open for public comment for 60 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.
Additional information on the proposed rule, including a summary with background information and a fact sheet, is available here.
The unofficial version of the proposed rule is available here.
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Say It Out Loud Conference – OnDemand
If you missed the Say It Out Loud Conference and want to watch the videos of the presentations, you can access them through this link. The OnDemand videos will be available through June 30th.
Request for Proposals – Community Reinvestment Plan Development
The Department of Commerce seeks a consultant to develop a community reinvestment plan describing how funds will be distributed to address racial, economic, and social disparities in communities across the state created by the historical design and enforcement of state and federal criminal laws and penalties for drug possession.
Community Reinvestment Plan Development Request for Proposals (RFP)
Applications due: July 15, 2022 at 5PM Pacific Time, Olympia, Washington
Please share this posting with your network.
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RCF: Regional Contracting Forum SAVE THE DATE
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2022
2022 REGIONAL CONTRACTING FORUM
IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE ONLY
MUCKLESHOOT EVENT CENTER, 2402 AUBURN WAY S, AUBURN
CONNECTING SMALL BUSINESSES AND CONTRACTORS TO STATE AND LOCAL
AGENCIES, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES, AND VARIOUS
ORGANIZATIONS. DISADVANTAGED, MINORITY, SMALL, VETERAN, AND
WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND.
MORE INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON.
COVID precautions event-wide in effect per requirements of Washington State, County, and/or
local jurisdiction requirements. In King County, proof of vaccination and masks are required at all
times. Medical/religious exemptions are not allowed. A negative COVID test within 72 hours of the
event can be used in lieu of religious/medical exemptions.
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Interested in serving on Commissions and Boards?
Monthly Upcoming Appointment Opportunities
Washington is home to vibrant communities and diverse Washingtonians who all have unique talents, skills and experiences. Governor Inslee places a high priority on boards, commissions, and agencies that are reflective of the diverse make-up of Washington and that utilize the impressive talent of Washingtonians. We are always seeking skilled and experienced individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds to participate in boards and commissions ensuring an effective and representative government.
We are excited to share the highlighted Current and Upcoming Gubernatorial Appointment Opportunities.
As someone with deep roots in your respective communities and organizations, we hope that you will share these opportunities. Anyone interested in being appointed will need to fill out this Application. Please explore the Boards and Commissions Profiles if you are interested in learning more about the many opportunities to get involved!
Thank you for your assistance in helping Governor Inslee find well-rounded candidates with significant talent and diverse experiences. Please feel free to reach out to Boards and Commissions staff with any questions you might have. Thank you for your time.
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Jobs Opportunities for LGBTQ Washingtonians
Check out the list of job opportunities for the community on our Careers Opportunities page by visiting this link.
We are excited to share job postings sent to the LGBTQ Commission. There are three requirements to be included on our page:
- The job needs to be able to be done in Washington State (virtual works)
- The business must have an inclusivity and/or equal opportunity statement
- The job posting must include a salary range.
Please send any job opportunity to share with the community to our Program Manager, Tracey Carlos (she/her) to tracey.carlos@lgbtq.wa.gov
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