DART’s board of directors voted 6-5 tonight against adding transgender protections to the agency’s nondiscrimination policy, according to Rafael McDonnell, a spokesman for Resource Center Dallas who attended the meeting.
McDonnell said the DART board, acting as the committee of the whole, initially voted 6-5 to approve the proposal to add gender identity to DART’s nondiscrimination policy. But then one board member, Pamela Dunlop Gates of Dallas, switched her vote and asked DART attorneys to clarify definitions for “gender identity” and “genetic information,” another proposed addition to the policy.
McDonnell said Tuesday’s vote means the proposal must come back to the committee of the whole in June, after the attorneys come up with definitions. If approved by the committee of the whole, the proposal would then go to the regular board at a later date. McDonnell said a DART staff member characterized Tuesday’s negative vote to him as a “speed bump” or “a hiccup.”
“It doesn’t mean that it’s dead,” McDonnell said. “I wouldn’t even say that it means it’s on life support. It means it’s taking a little longer to go through the process. I’m disappointed in that. … I got up and told the board members, ‘I respect the fact that you have questions, here’s my phone number.'”
McDonnell also encouraged people in the LGBT community to get involved.
“We anticipated there would be some no votes,” he said. “I think if you live in the DART service area, you need to be contact your representative on the DART board and urge them to vote for it.”
The phone number for DART’s administrative offices is 214-749-3278. A list of board members by city can be found here.
The proposal to add trans protections to DART’s nondiscrimination policy came about after the agency was accused earlier this year of discriminating against a transgender bus driver.
5 Comments
I wasn’t able to attend the 4:30pm Committee of the Whole meeting this afternoon but did attend the DART Board meeting this evening. Pamela Curry, who attended the COTW meeting as well as the board meeting, said that the vote was initially 6-4 before board member Gates’ switched her vote, making it 5-5 along with her questions. Pamela Curry and a member of the community also spoke during public comments, as did I. An important action now is to lobby board members, most effectively those appointed by the participating DART city where you live. Find out who represents you at:
https://www.dart.org/about/board/boardbios/boardbios.asp
Though the equality can was kicked down the road in this moment, it will be on the table again next month and we must be vigilant and persistent. “The wheels on the bus go round and round…”
By my notes and comparing it to the board members’ pictures, it appears the yes votes were Danish, Whitaker, Williams, Ellerbee and Christian. The three members who specifically raised questions during the discussion were Noah, Strauss and Gates. Strauss specifically asked questions about transgender and gender identity. By looking at names and faces, Enoch also voted no: he got up to get a glass of tea when the vote was taken and I was able to see him. I could not see the chair from where Pamela and I were sitting. There were some board members who were not there, including Angel Reyes, who represents Dallas.
I am dumbfounded. After all these months, this was an easy issue for the DART Board to vote on adding gender identity to its nondiscrimination policy. I will contact all of the Board members regardless of the city they represent. I call on Noah, Strauss, Gates and Enoch to get up to speed on T-B-G-L and human rights. LEAD or GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY. Angel Reyes needs to have the courage to show up and vote on this important issue.
Raphael,
Thank you for your work on this issue. Has DART had diversity training by RCD yet?
Thanks. Kris
@Kris: Not as of yet, but we’re working on that issue as well.