discrimination

The University of Wyoming's Black Studies Center and UW President Ed Seidel held a town hall meeting on February 24 to address the recent racist Zoom-bombing attack that occurred during a live virtual panel on February 15.

The nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization reports that Wyoming and many other states need more laws and policies to battle discrimination.

A female inmate at the center of a federal discrimination lawsuit against the Wyoming Department of Corrections has lost her appeal after a ruling in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Willard Gould, member of the Arapahoe Business Council and the Northern Arapahoe Language Commission. Willard's work has been in substance abuse counseling, domestic violence and family services. 

The University of Wyoming is introducing new mandatory training for faculty and staff in an effort to foster a stronger culture of inclusivity. Increased programming on diversity and inclusion is part of the university's strategic plan.

The Executive Committee of the Teton County Republican Party says it’s formally supporting a Jackson ordinance that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. 

A lawsuit against the town of Thayne accuses its Mayor and town council members of discriminating against a married gay couple because of their sexual orientation.

According to the lawsuit, Rusty and Marc Andrus bought “Rustlers Restaurant and Saloon” in 2015, and brought the building back up to the proper electrical and fire codes, and added restrooms, handicap accessibility, and a full commercial kitchen.

But when the couple approached the town of Thayne to get a liquor license, the suit says they were the focus of discrimination. 

The Eastern Shoshone tribe is moving to adopt the Violence Against Women Act in an effort to better prosecute sexual assaults of Native women from the Wind River Reservation. The hope is that the law will help overcome a jurisdiction gap between tribal and federal justice systems.

Wyoming’s cities rank below the national average in protections for LGBTQ residents, according to new ratings from the Human Rights Campaign.  

The group scored hundreds of cities across the nation in their Municipal Equality Index, giving points for non-discrimination laws, transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits and other policies.

Despite the low ratings, Sarah Burlingame of the advocacy group Wyoming Equality says there is growing support for LGBTQ rights around the state.

The Wyoming Senate has given final approval to a bill that provides protections to gay and transgender people in the workplace.

Despite some minor opposition that it takes away rights from the business sector, the Senate overwhelmingly supported the bill 24 to 6. Cody Republican Hank Coe says it’s not a bill the Senate would have considered 15 years ago.

“Time has changed. This is 2015, we need to step up and do what we need to do and we need to pass this bill. Discrimination in the workplace, that’s what this bill is about, is just wrong.”

The Wyoming Senate continues work on a bill that is intended to protect gay and transgender people from discrimination in the workplace. 

Much of the debate centered on whether the private business sector should be exempted from the legislation.

Lander Senator Cale Case says he opposes discrimination, but says the bill goes too far.

“But you can’t tell people who they should hire and who they shouldn’t in their private business. And I go back and I say it’s a stupid idea that you would discriminate on this basis. But liberty includes the right to be stupid.”

The Wyoming Senate gave initial approval to a bill that would extend the state anti-discrimination protections to cover sexual orientation and gender identity.  The Senate started work on language to expand exemptions for religious charities, religious non-profits and groups such as the Boy Scouts.  Senator Dave Kinskey says they are trying to strike a balance.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has given approval to a bill that bans discrimination for gender identity and sexual orientation in the workplace and a variety of other areas. 

The committee voted 4 to 1 to support the bill after voting down an amendment that tried to strengthen the exception for religious institutions. Sheridan Senator Dave Kinskey says he supports the bill, but notes that some religious organizations have concerns.

Thanks to the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People, Native American tribes now have more legal tools than ever before. That’s according to a speaker at a conference on Monday hosted by the University of Wyoming American Indian Studies Program.

The State Senate defeated a bill that would have prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.  It would have given gays and lesbians protections in the workplace.  Opponents said it could have led to unfair burdens on employers and infringe on religious freedoms.  Senator Chris Rothfuss says he’s sorry that the bill would be inconvenient for certain employers, but he added that was the point.  But Baggs Senator Larry Hicks says the legislation would do little.