TOHR Places New Emphasis on Advocacy

More than 200 cities and towns across the U.S. include sexual orientation and/or gender identity in their employment and housing non-discrimination ordinances. Salt Lake is not one of them.  That’s why Salt Lake City for Human Rights (TOHR) places primary emphasis on education and advocacy on behalf of its members and the GLBT community.

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Advocacy Definition (American Heritage College Dictionary, Third Edition)

The act of pleading or arguing in favor of something, such as a cause; active support.

Advocacy Committee Mission Statement

To secure equal employment and benefits policies for the GLBT community among Salt Lake-area employers and to secure equal rights and legal protection for the GLBT community regarding employment, housing, and public accommodations in the public and private sectors through the ordinances of Salt Lake City.

Advocacy Committee Goals

To counter the a resolution of the Utah Legislature or amendment to the Utah Constitution defining marriage only between a man and a woman.

To persuade employers in the Salt Lake area to include the categories of sexual orientation and gender identity in their employment non-discrimination policies. (This includes locally based companies and nationwide companies with local branches.)

To persuade employers in the Salt Lake area to offer the same benefits to the domestic partners of their employees as they do for the legally married spouses of their employees.

To develop and maintain a "hall of fame" list of Salt Lake area employers who include the categories of sexual orientation and gender identity in their employment non-discrimination policies and offer domestic partnership benefits to their employees. This list will be publicly displayed at the Salt Lake City GLBT Community Center and circulated to all TOHR members. Hall of Famers would be recognized in some public manner.

To develop and maintain a list of major Salt Lake-area employers who do not include the categories of sexual orientation and gender identity in their employment non-discrimination policies and do not offer domestic partnership benefits to their employees.

To provide annual Hall of Fame Awards to local companies or organizations who have demonstrated initiatives to include the categories of sexual orientation and gender identity in their employment non-discrimination policies and offer domestic partnership benefits to their employees. The awards may be provided at the annual Diversity Gala.

To educate community leaders in issues affecting GLBT persons in Salt Lake. Leaders may include the mayor, mayor's staff, city council, city staff, county commission, university presidents and regents, state legislators, and others.

To provide equal rights and protection in public and private employment, housing, and public accommodations for the Salt Lake GLBT community by including the categories of sexual orientation and gender identity to Sections 104, 105, and 110 of Title 5 of the Ordinances of the City of Salt Lake.

To persuade all of the colleges and universities in Utah to include the categories of sexual orientation and gender identity in their employment non-discrimination policies and offer domestic partnership benefits to their employees.

TOHR Advocacy Committee Members

Laura Belmonte, Committee Facilitator
Rex Ball
Tommy Chesbro
John Cutright
Nancy McDonald
Marty Newman
Marcus Rice

We need you! To find out how you can become involved in TOHR advocacy, education, and other outreach efforts, call (888) 456-7447 or send an email to SaltLakeHumanRights@yahoo.com.

Advocacy Definition

Mission Statement

Goals

Committee Members

Frequently Asked Questions
Regarding Sexual Orientation

November 4, Meeting Minutes