LGBTQIA2S+ Policy Program
The City of Portland’s Office of Equity and Human Rights LGBTQIA2S+ program provides education and technical support to City staff and elected officials and represents the interests of the LGBTQIA2S+ community within the City of Portland’s policy making and budgeting processes.
This program is creating and leading complex, new initiatives and policies within the City that will both improve LGBTQIA2S+ employees’ ability to thrive at the workplace and better serve the larger LGBTQIA2S+ Portland community. As provided by the City of Portland Workplace Survey (July 2022), 11% of 3,447 employees identified as being a member of the LGBTQ+ community. In addition, when asked to provide their sex, 15% of respondents did not select male or female and selected "prefer not to answer as an alternative. This survey captured less than half the employee population, where input was received from individuals whose work arrangements were fully remote (295 responses), hybrid (2,200 responses), and in-person (952 responses).
This program approaches LGBTQIA2S+ equity work with an intersectional lens, centering the most marginalized demographics within the community. This program also represents the City of Portland within the community and serves as liaison to the City of Portland’s LGBTQIA2S+ community members and organizations.
Strategic Plan
The LGBTQIA2S+ Strategic Plan provides an overview of the impact of the Program from 2021-2023, and outlines how continued investment in the program will allow for the Program to expand and better fulfill its mission to (1) provide education and technical support to City staff and elected officials; (2) identify and remove systemic barriers to fair and just distribution of resources, access, and opportunity for the LGBTQIA2S+ community and; (3) serve as the LGBTQIA2S+ community liaison. The Strategic Plan provides a blueprint for developing a City culture that celebrates LGBTQIA2S+ City employees and LGBTQIA2S+ Portland residents. Adopting the LGBTQIA2S+ Strategic Plan is a vital step for promoting LGBTIQA2S+ representation and equity within City Government and the communities the City serves.
The LGBTQ2S+ Strategic Plan was accepted by council on February 7, 2024.
Link to agenda item: https://www.portland.gov/council/documents/report/accepted/114-2024#:~:text=The%20LGBTQIA2S%2B%20Strategic%20Plan%20provides,officials%3B%20(2)%20identify%20and
Queer Data Project
The Queer Data Project is dedicated to providing comprehensive, accessible, intersectional data about queer communities in Oregon. In 2022, the City of Portland Office of Equity and Human Rights commissioned a feasibility study to determine what kind of data and information on queer communities in Oregon is already available. Additionally, the feasibility study explored whether a comprehensive, community-driven data effort would add value to LGBTQIA2S+ equity initiatives and policy within the state.
The 2022 feasibility study suggested that comprehensive, accessible, intersectional data about LGBTQIA2S+ communities in Oregon would be timely and powerful in creating and developing LGBTQIA2S+ policy in the City of Portland and the state of Oregon as a whole
The Queer Data Project is currently in the process of securing funds to move forward with statewide comprehensive data collection and research. In 2024, the state allocated $1.25 million for this project.
Summary of Data Sources:
Queer Data Project Plan:
Queer Data Project Site: https://sites.google.com/view/qdpwebsitevideo/home