Tacoma rally supports Washington's transgender community
Hundreds of transgender people, their families and allies gathered at the University of Washington Tacoma Saturday Feb. 25.
The occasion was a rally against Washington State Initiative 1552. The measure would “override state and local prohibitions against gender-identity discrimination in certain public-accommodation facilities, require that public schools restrict access to some facilities based on sex at birth, and allow related lawsuits against schools.”
Participants at the Tacoma rally included grandparents and parents, students and children, Tacoma City Councilmember Ryan Mello, Chair of Washington Won’t Discriminate Seth Kirby, Washington state Representative Laurie Jinkins, Bishop Richard Jaech, U.S. Congressman Derek Kilmer, Tacoma School Board President Catherine Ushka, and the Gender Justice League’s Dani Askini.
The I-1552 “Just Want Privacy” campaign is backed by The Family Policy Institute of Washington. The group says they need 330,000 signatures by July 7 to make it onto the November ballot. Opponents are urging people to decline to sign the initiative.
David Griffith recorded the speeches at the Decline to Sign rally.
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John O'Brien
Senior Producer, All Things Considered
John O’Brien is KUOW's All Things Considered Senior Producer. He spends his days setting up interviews with newsmakers on subjects from politics and public health to arts and culture. John learned to make radio starting in 2006 as an intern on KUOW’s The Conversation with Ross Reynolds.
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