Are you a parent or caregiver who is considering moving to Portland, Oregon to be in a friendlier place for your trans or queer child?
According to Wikipedia, Oregon is frequently referred to as one of the US’s most LGBTQ friendly states. We were the third state to ban conversion therapy, we were the first state to have gender neutral “X” markers on our state ids/licenses (I testified for this back in 2016!). Oregon has banned unfair discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on sexual orientation or gender identity since 2008. We even have the nation’s first openly bisexual governor! Source.
Oregon’s anti-bullying law prohibits bullying on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, familial status, source of income and disability. The law also explicitly includes cyberbullying and harassment, and applies to all public schools. Source.
In October 2019, Governor Kate Brown signed an executive order to add gender identity to a 1987 policy that prohibits state agencies from engaging in unlawful discrimination (in hiring, the provision of public services, or any government-related interactions). The order had already included sexual orientation. Agencies will also be required an include a third gender option (“X”) as a sex descriptor. Source.
And apparently Oregon has the highest LGBTQ population per capita of any state in the US! Source.
If you’re considering moving to Portland for your child, please reach out to me below. I have resources to give you and would love to connect you to other families. I will also donate a percentage of my commission to an LGBTQ organization of your choice in your home state (or nationally if you prefer) if we work together.