On July 4^th, 1965 a group of LGBTQ activists in Philadelphia organized the first “Reminder Day” at Independence Hall. The intention of the group was to raise awareness of the lack of rights for the LGBTQ community in the United States. The group continued holding these annual demonstrations on July 4^th for five consecutive years.

The LGBTQ community is and always has been part of the fabric of USA society. The words of the Declaration of Independence, although it uses outdated terminology, is still relevant for the LGBTQ community in the country: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men [sic] are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” LGBTQ folk are part of the citizens and residents of the United States who are endowed with unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In recent years we have witnessed state legislatures, and more recently, the US Supreme Court, taking individual rights away from people. Most of these laws and judicial decisions affect the most vulnerable within our communities: transgender children and youth, their families, women, and people of any gender who can get pregnant.

Despite these movements to strip LGBTQ people from our rights, our community keeps moving forward. Here in Washington, we celebrate equity, diversity, inclusion, justice, and belonging. We also recognize that the dream of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” for all Washingtonians rests on an active and engaged citizenry that demands accountability from their government institutions. Thus, the WA State LGBTQ Commission commits to continue working with our communities to ensure that these unalienable rights are not taken away from us.

If you are interested in learning more about the long journey towards LGBTQ liberation in the United States, you can check out this timeline of milestones in the USA LGBTQ rights movement.

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. 

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

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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.