OKC Protects Gender Identity & Expression

The following remarks were presented to the Oklahoma City Council at their meeting on December 17, 2019. The Council voted 7-2 to adopt a personnel policy that protects transgender employees from discrimination. Below are Freedom Oklahoma board member, Alyssa Bryant’s comments in support of the resolution:

My name is Alyssa Bryant and I am here today as a member of the board of directors of Freedom Oklahoma. 

I am also a lawyer working with indigent victims of domestic violence. I am a parent of four children--a lawyer, a teacher, a preacher, and a soon to be social worker. This may sound like the start of a joke about four people walking into a bar, but it also happens to be the best thing I’ve done in this lifetime. 

I am also transgender. 

I am here today to ask for the same opportunity as anyone else--the opportunity to compete for the dignity and purpose which come with a job. We want the same freedom as anyone else to provide for the people we love, to contribute, pay taxes, to work hard  and build lives. 

When I first came out almost a decade ago, I assumed I could not do this in Oklahoma. I thought I would have to move to a coast to work as a transgender lawyer. But I was wrong. 

Oklahomans are fair and decent. Most Oklahomans, in fact, would be suprised to learn that we can be fired merely for being transgender. Most Oklahomans I know would agree that’s not right and should be changed.

Thank you for your leadership today in sending a message to employees and prospective employees that Oklahoma City is a place where all people are welcome, and will be treated with fairness and with dignity.