Citing law, city reluctantly argues for release of gay employees’ names
Anti-gay-rights activist wants names of city-sponsored LGBT club
As attorneys for all sides prepare to square off in court, the City of Seattle and a self-described “civil rights leader” seeking the release of the names of gay and lesbian city workers involved in a city-sponsored club have lined up on the same side of the issue.
In separate court filings, the city and the Seattle City Light employee requesting the records argue that the state public-records act requires that the city release the records. City of Seattle employees associated with the department’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Questioning and Friends Club have asked the court to order the city not to release their names.
Reiterating statements made by Seattle City Attorney Tom Carr shortly after the suit was filed, lawyers for the city now assert, reluctantly, that the records requested by City Light employee Philip Irvin.
“The city sympathizes with the concerns that plaintiffs have expressed,” Assistant City Attorney Gary T. Smith said in court documents. “Nonetheless, the city believes that the Public Records Act obligates it to disclose the records at issue.”
Irvin, who claims he’s been barred from attending LGBTQF club meetings because he is heterosexual and opposed to gay rights, has requested that the city release the names of employees belonging to or attending the Seattle Public Utilities-sponsored group.
According to the city’s filing, the department sponsors eight such “affinity” groups for employees “with similar concerns.” Included in the array are groups for employees of different ages or ancestry, including European. Each group is provided with up to $1,000 annually for events, and members are allowed to spend two work hours a month toward group activities.
In arguing that the records should be released, attorneys for the city assert that earlier appeals-court rulings have shown that employee information must be released even if it could result in harassment. The city cites a 2002 case in which King County was ordered by the state Court of Appeals to release a list of sheriff’s deputies’ names.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs assert that the employees’ identities are not releasable under the law, in part because they are of no legitimate public interest.
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Seattle Post Intelligencer
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Clinton meets with State Dept. gay group
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday met with the head of the gay affinity group within her department and reiterated her pledge to review the inequities in how the State Department treats its gay and straight employees. Michelle Schohn, president of Gays & Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies, said she met with Clinton for 30 minutes along with the heads of nine affinity groups within the State Department.
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The New York Blade, NY
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/01/clinton-meets…
A company expands its diversity effort
The1990s has been called the “decade of diversity,” and PricewaterhouseCoopers did its part.
The global accounting firm sponsored affinity groups for women, blacks and Hispanics to meet over common issues and, over time, it added a group for gays and lesbians.
Since those early days the diversity movement has become more sophisticated. At PricewaterhouseCoopers, that includes seeking out what the firm calls “straight allies.”
Those are the straight partners, associates and clients who can be depended upon to foster inclusiveness toward their colleagues who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered.
About five years ago, the firm created a board of openly gay partners to make sure the gay community feels comfortable and welcome, said Jennifer Allyn, managing director for the office of diversity at PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York.
The firm’s family leave benefits were expanded to include unmarried partners, plus it supports independent gay and lesbian events around the nation and beefed up recruiting and retention efforts in the gay community.
Now it’s focusing on straight professionals and what they can do, said Allyn.
See A company expands its diversity effort
Houston Chronicle, United State
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2008/12/company-expan…
