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Trans activist Jeri Hughes, seen here in a photo taken at this year’s Pride parade, said proposed changes to Washington’s Human Rights Act will lead to discrimination against transgender residents in jail. (Blade file photo by Henry Linser)
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HOME > NEWS > LOCAL
By: LOU CHIBBARO JR COMMENTS
 
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and Commission on Human Rights apparently heeded requests by the Department of Correction to propose rolling back non-discrimination protections for transgender prisoners.
Among the Commission’s members are Christopher Dyer, director of the Mayor’s Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Affairs; and gay D.C. residents Michael Ward and Thomas Fulton.
Mario Acosta-Velez, president of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, the city’s largest gay political group, served as acting chair of the commission until his term expired in early July. Although Acosta-Velez no longer serves on the commission, he was a member at the time that Alexis Taylor, general counsel of the Office of Human Rights, introduced the proposed changes to the commission.
Acosta-Velez said he appointed a subcommittee of the commission to consider the proposed changes but chose not to become a member because his term on the commission was ending.
“This is not saying in any way that the commission is agreeing to these proposals or that it favors cutting back on the Human Rights Act,” Acosta-Velez said. “We decided to let them go through the process and to seek out comments from the public. It was our understanding that the proposals would come back to the commission for a vote, and that’s when the matter would be decided.”
Ward echoed that sentiment, saying he has concerns over parts of the proposed rule changes.
“We all expected there would be some controversy,” he said. “That’s part of the reason for putting them out there for public comment.”
Dyer declined comment. As a member of the mayor’s staff, Dyer is likely to face competing pressures on the proposed rules, with gay and trans activists urging him to vote against them and the mayor potentially asking him to support them.
Mayoral spokesperson Dena Iverson said Wednesday that the mayor would take into consideration all public comments on the proposal before making a decision.
“We look forward to hearing back from the community,” she said.
Ward said Taylor of the Office of Human Rights informed the commission that the proposed rules came from the Fenty Administration, with the request that the commission consider them and possibly fine-tune the proposed changes after they go through the public comment period.
Although the rules changes are being officially proposed by the Office of Human Rights and the Commission, local gay and trans acti
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