The UOSA Graduate Student Senate passed a bill to amend OU’s non-discrimination policy that would protect gay, lesbian and transgender students Sunday night.
The bill, however, does not state “gay, lesbian and transgender,” but recommends that “personal expressions of sexualities” be added to the OU Board of Regents Equal Opportunity Statement.
“This has taken two years guys, I think we ought to applaud [the passage of the bill] heartily,” said Susan Adams-Johnson, Senate chairwoman.
The legislation should please Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered and Friends and other groups, said Derrell Cox Senate secretary.
“There are other issues that affect people [besides sexual expression], such as gender expression and gender identity,” Cox said.
No senators voted against the bill.
The resolution will next be heard by the UOSA Undergraduate Student Congress.
“I’m happy for it to pass, we’ll see how it goes through (the) Undergrad Congress,” Cox said. “It has some significant obstacles to be overcome to be heard by the [OU Board of Regents].”
Cox said the bill was influenced by a UOSA Rep. Shayna Daitch’s resolution, but that it had been changed significantly.
For that reason, Cox said, she was not named as a co-author of the bill.
“It has the potential to really influence people’s lives for the good,” Cox said.
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soonerboomers 2 years, 3 months ago
Taking two years for something that should have taken a week is not a reason for applause; it is a reason for embarrassment.