Dear UAW Local 4121 Members,
During last Thursday’s membership meeting UAW Local 4121, by unanimous vote, joined a coalition of organizations and individuals across Washington in signing onto the WA SAFE (Safety and Access For Everyone) Alliance. The WA SAFE Alliance is working to fight legislation that will harm our state’s transgender and gender non-conforming community by limiting their access to anti-discrimination protections that have been in place in Washington since 2006, including the right to use restrooms and locker rooms in accordance with one’s gender identity. This email includes information on how to get more involved in the fight to stop the so-called “bathroom bill” (including how to contact your legislator about it).
January 14th, Rep. Graham Hunt (R-Orting) introduced HB 2589, part of a new wave of anti-LGBTQ bills being introduced in state and municipal government across the country targeting transgender people by using fear and misinformation for political gain. It would allow places of public accommodation (including your employer!) to restrict access to gender-segregated facilities if a person is “preoperative,” “nonoperative,” or otherwise has “genitalia of a different gender from that for which the facility is segregated.” (Yes! That’s the actual language he’s called for!) Help ensure Washington continues to stand with the 16 states, 200 cities, Department of Education, Department of Labor, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in ensuring vital public accommodations anti-discrimination protections for transgender and gender non-conforming Washingtonians!
Action Items:
(1) This Wednesday January 27th at 1:30 pm the State Senate’s Commerce and Labor committee will hold a hearing regarding SB 6443, which aims to eliminate protections that allow LGBTQ people, especially transgender Washingtonians, to use the bathroom and other facilities that are consistent with the gender they live as every day. The SAFE Alliance is hoping to pack the room with supporters for the hearing, which is in SHR1 on the State Capitol campus in Olympia.
(2) There is a Transmisogyny Counter-Protest planned Monday February 15th (a school holiday) in response to a protest being organized by supporters of the anti-trans bill in the state legislature. Here is the Facebook link for those interested in attending the protest: https://www.facebook.com/
(3) Call or email your state legislators and demand they preserve our state’s anti-discrimination law by opposing HB 2589 and SB 6443:
- Use WA SAFE Alliance’s script/template available on their website HERE
- Call the Washington State Legislature Hotline at 1-800-562-6000
- Call the members of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee
- And use Find your Legislator to email your state legislator (or use these lists: Representatives HERE and Senators HERE)
Please contact us or visit www.wasafealliance.org (and their Facebook page) for helpful FAQs, background information, and ways to get involved.
In Solidarity,
Erin Adam (emadam@uw.edu)
Your Trans Equity Working Group (trans-equity@uaw4121.org)