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Cincinnati City Council member Reggie Harris speaks before the city raises the transgender pride flag on March 31, 2022. P H O T O : FA C E B O O K . C O M / C I T YO F C I N C Y
Cincinnati Takes New Steps Toward More Direct LGBTQ+ Protections in Municipal Code Council member Reggie Harris is spearheading efforts for “equal protection under the law” BY A L L I S O N BA B K A
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he Queen City soon could be even more affirming for residents and employees. Cincinnati City Council member Reggie Harris is collaborating with other city administrators and organizations to update language in the city’s municipal code to provide more comprehensive legal protections and practices. The new provisions will more directly cover gender expression and identity from discrimination and other LGBTQ+ concerns. LGBTQ most often stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (or questioning), with the longer acronym of LGBTQIA adding intersex and
asexual. Harris specifically is working on sections 914-1 (“Definitions”), 914-3 (“Housing Discrimination Prohibited”), 914-5 (“Employment Discrimination”), 914-15 (“Exclusions”) of the municipal code, Harris tells CityBeat in an email. “Cincinnati led the way with its nondiscrimination ordinance, but since then we’ve learned a lot. It’s time to update it so we can continue to lead the nation when it comes to equity,” Harris says. Section 914-1, the city’s unlawful discriminatory practices chapter of the municipal code, lays out the words and phrases whose meanings have been
standardized throughout the code. The section covers a wide range of topics, from age to disability to marital status. The code currently includes definitions for sexual orientation and transgender individuals, but Harris says that more current language is needed. “First and foremost, we are updating the definitions listed in our nondiscrimination code to account for what we have learned as best practices over the years. This includes making sure language pertaining to gender expression and gender identity is up-todate and as inclusive and accurate as possible,” Harris says. Harris and others also are working on additional sections of the code. “We are reviewing the enforcement procedure for the ‘Source of Income’ discrimination to address the Section 8 (housing) discrimination occurring throughout the city,” Harris says. “Lastly, we are recommending that the businesses to which the code is applied is expanded so that workers throughout the city, no matter where they work, have equal protection under the law.” “Together, these changes will make
sure that the nondiscrimination language in our city’s code reach(es) as many people as possible and all Cincinnatians have the legal protections they need to live vibrant, fulfilling lives,” Harris adds. Harris, who is serving his first term on Cincinnati City Council and chairs the Equitable Growth & Housing Committee, is developing the municipal code’s new language alongside city solicitor Andrew W. Garth and representatives from Equality Ohio, a nonprofit organization based in Columbus that advocates for LGBTQ+ issues. He began digging into the issue upon taking his seat on Cincinnati City Council in January, he says, adding that Garth’s office is reviewing the updates and will produce an ordinance for the council to evaluate. Harris hopes to introduce the ordinance to the council “in the next couple months,” he says. “I used to serve on the board of Equality Ohio and learned about actions local governments can take to ensure that the legal protections provided to its most vulnerable
APRIL 20, 2022 - MAY 3, 2022|
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