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EqSD Press Releases
EqSD to Rapid City - End discrimination against LGBT employees
Wednesday, 21 April 2010 14:09
South Dakota’s largest LGBT organization calls for Rapid City to end legal discrimination against LGBT employees.
Contact Karen Mudd -- This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it -- 605.214.1299
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2010
Sioux Falls, SD- Equality South Dakota, the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender rights group in South Dakota with over 4,000 members is calling upon the Rapid City Council and the Mayor to amend their employment discrimination policy to include sexual orientation and gender identity. In a letter dated April 8, 2010, Equality South Dakota renewed their request to the city after a similar request last year was denied by the Rapid City Council.
In the letter Equality South Dakota answered all of the concerns voiced by the attorney for the city, Jason Green, who spoke against amending the Rapid City code last year. “After a year of hard work and of gathering all of the data from South Dakota and across the country, we provided all of the information to the Mayor of Rapid City to show the city should not fear adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the city employment policy” said Karen Mudd a consultant for Equality South Dakota. In 2009, the Rapid City Council voted down a request by Equality South Dakota because of fears expressed by the attorney for the city that Rapid City would see an increase in litigation and discrimination claims and because the city might have to pay for sexual reassignment surgeries for transgender persons.
“We know that none of these fears are correct when we look at statistics across the country. Cities which include sexual orientation and gender identity do not open themselves up to excessive liability” said Karen Mudd. Recently, the Rapid City School District re-added sexual orientation to their non-discrimination policy after much public debate that included a threat by State Senator Gordon Howie to bring a bill in the legislative session to pull the school’s funding if it added sexual orientation to the policy.
“The time is ripe for the Rapid City Council and for the Mayor of Rapid City to show that fairness and equal treatment are South Dakota values and to adopt a non-discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation and gender identity,” according to Karen Mudd. The Legal and Finance Committee of the Rapid City Council have the request on their agenda for April 28th. Equality South Dakota is asking all of their members and supporters to contact Rapid City and to let the council members and the mayor know that they support the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity to the city’s non-discrimination policy.
EqSD Poll released!
Thursday, 31 December 2009 18:51
Scientific poll: Daugaard enjoys slight lead over Heidepriem, and South Dakotans overwhelmingly support equal rights for gaysAs the new year approaches, the race for Governor is wide-open. That is the conclusion of a scientific survey commissioned by Equality South Dakota, a non partisan organization dedicated to equal rights for all South Dakotans, especially those who are gay or transgender.
“Our poll was conducted to see whether South Dakotans were receptive to our own efforts to achieve equality for gay South Dakotans, and we were pleased to discover that the answer is a resounding “yes” said Robert Doody, chair of EqSD. But as long as we were commissioning a scientific survey, we wanted to ask about the Governor’s race as well. As far as we know, these are the first results of a scientific survey to be publicly disclosed.
CA Supreme Court Upholds Rights for LGBT Citizens
Friday, 16 May 2008 09:30
EqSD Applauds Decision Which Gives Hope to LGBT South Dakotans And Their Friends and Families
Equality South Dakota
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 15, 2008
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Mudd, 605.214.1299 or Todd Epp, 605.351.5021
SIOUX FALLS, SD--Today, the California Supreme Court (click link for decision) made a historic decision to guarantee marriage equality for all of its citizens.
"This is a victory for fairness and opportunity." says Karen Mudd, chair of Equality South Dakota (EqSD), a statewide advocacy organization with a mission to help secure and protect the rights and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) South Dakotans and their families.
Two new groups form to work for LGBT equality in South Dakota
Tuesday, 15 January 2008 20:47
For Immediate Release
Released January 7, 2008SIOUX FALLS—Equality South Dakota (EqSD) and Equality South Dakota Political Action Committee ( EqSD PAC) announced their formation prior to the start of the South Dakota Legislative session on Tuesday.
Jon Hoadley heads Stonewall Democrats
Tuesday, 18 September 2007 06:23
On September 17, the National Stonewall Democrats Board of Directors named Jon Hoadley as the organization’s new Executive Director. Hoadley will begin his tenure on October 1.