The Committee for [??

]
Gender-Based Housing Protection Recommendation Report

Introduction
This is where I will introduce my committee members to the issues in our current housing
protection laws, and recommendations about how we can go about fixing this problem. My
research has been based in gender-based protections, history of discrimination based on gender
identity, and the psychological impact that results from gender-based violence, discrimination,
and abuse. I learned that genderqueer individuals are much more likely to experience violence,
abuse, and discrimination based on gender than cisgender people. They are also at a higher risk
for homelessness, psychological disorders, and structural abuse than cisgender people. I am
personally interested in housing rights for genderqueer people, because ensuring that our housing
laws protect people regardless of gender-identity will eliminate homelessness caused by gender-
identity based discrimination. The State of California has implemented housing laws to protect
people of all genders in their Gender Nondiscrimination Act, and I recommend that we
implement the same protections for gender-identity in housing in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Gender Identity Discrimination and Impact

This is where I will introduce the depth of gender based discrimination, and the lack of
legal protections for genderqueer individuals. I will provide detailed information about the
psychological impact of such discrimination and abuse, including risk of suicide, and the many
different areas in which genderqueer people are experiencing much higher levels of abuse. I will
point out that discrimination against gender includes a huge population of people, and point to
the many different gender identities that have existed across cultures and time. I will convince
my reader that all people, regardless of gender identity, deserve safety and legal protection
against discrimination.

Housing Discrimination
This is where I will specifically focus my topic into the housing industry. Our state &
local discrimination laws across the board do not specifically offer protections based on gender
identity, but hoping to change all of these laws would be implausible. I will focus specifically on
housing discrimination laws based on gender identity. I plan on focusing this information into
the following two subheadings.

Gender Identity Housing Discrimination

This is where I will specifically discuss the ways in which discrimination against people
based on gender identity can and does occur. I will bring up the statistics that I have found in my
research about rates of discrimination against transgender and genderqueer people nationwide. I
will also explain the different groups of people, beyond transgender, who could be discriminated
against with our local laws (anyone who is not cisgender, including intersex people). I will
compare these difficulties to those of cisgender people.

Impact of Homelessness
This is where I will specifically discuss trends of homelessness in genderqueer people, as
they are at a much higher risk than cisgender people. I will connect how housing discrimination
against genderqueer people has been shown to contribute to these homelessness rates. I will
continue to discuss the impact of being homeless on a person, including psychological, physical
(especially in our North Dakota weather), and social.

Local Impact
This is where I will move into the local impact of gender identity based housing
discrimination. I plan on tackling this from a couple angles. I would find local individuals who
have experienced housing discrimination based on gender identity. I could also contact the Pride
Center @ UND and see what sort of recommendations they typically make to genderqueer
students for housing security. I also could survey the different leasing agencies and ask about
their policies of discrimination, and tie this back into individuals stories of discrimination. I also
could reach out to different agencies of emergency housing/housing for homeless people and see
if they collect any information now about gender identity.
I may also find it beneficial to include a counter-argument about why this is not a huge
problem. Some people may feel that gender identity is a choice, and that they can always find
another agency to lease through. I will provide information about gender identity not being
something chosen, much like sexuality, and the impact of that type of thinking on genderqueer
individuals. I will also tie back to the fact that without specific and explicit legal protections,
there is not guarantee for individuals to be allotted safe housing from anyone. Possibly also
mention that eliminating discrimination in housing will also have positive effects on housing
market in grand forks.

Nondiscrimination Housing Acts

In this section I will point out the various successes and positive outcomes of other
housing protection laws. I will point out that our discrimination laws have consistently grown
with our society, and that this is another instance where it can do that. I will look at this in the
following subheadings.

Sex Based Housing Protection

I will start by discussing a more recent addition to our federal nondiscrimination laws. I
will discuss the success and impact of this addition, and the process by which it was done. I will
point to how these laws are not questioned, and once they are implemented they become habitual
and routine. I will also point out that the protection of sex would be very similar to the protection
of gender identity.
California Gender Nondiscrimination Act
I will break down the process and procedures of California enacting their Gender
Nondiscrimination Act. I will explain how to act gives legal protection to people of all gender
identities in housing, employment, education, insurance and certain public accomodations. I will
use them as a specific example of how explicit and specific wording is required to make sure all
people are legally protected regardless of gender identity.

New York Gender-Expression Non-Discrimination Act

Here is another example of statewide gender based non-discrimination act. I will show
that this is a very recent example of a state enacting protections for people of all gender
identities. I will explain the slightly different way New York’s law functions in relation to
Californias, and use this as a point of increased interest in people advocating for legal protections
for people of all gender identities.

Recommendations for Gender Based Housing Protection in Grand Forks, ND

This is where I will make my recommendation to my reader. We have gone through the
devastating impact of gender-based discrimination, from psychological effects to homelessness.
We discussed this on a larger scale nationally, and then painted a more local picture. We then
looked at how our federal protections based on sex came into effect, and how more recent states
have implemented non-discrimination acts that include gender identity.
I am putting my recommendation here because I will have introduced the problem,
fleshed out the impact of the problem, given the problem an empathetic depth so the reader
(hopefully) cares about solving the problem; the recommendation functions as a solution. I think
I have fleshed out the problem in a place of both emotional interest and logical interest, and
shown the success of other places implementing similar solutions to problems presented at
beginning of the report.

Procedure of Implementation of Gender Non-Discrimination Act

I will lay out the specific steps that need to be taken to enact a city ordinance that would
build on top of our current local and statewide laws. (This will require more, focused research)I
will look into this specifically for North Dakota in my continued research, and identify any
problems I could see arising and provide different options for solutions ahead of time. I will also
relate this to recent similar ordinances that may have been implemented in other parts of North
Dakota (This will require more, focused research). I could also possibly look into who would be
required to support this ordinance for it to happen in Grand Forks, and gauge their interest in
supporting an ordinance like this one.
Interest in Housing Protection in Grand Forks, ND
This is where I would discuss the local interest in housing protections for people of all
gender identities. I would poll different leasing agencies who are in support of it, groups of
individuals generally in Grand Forks, and possible local legislative positions. Would tie back to
the impact that this would have locally, with the number of affected people.

Conclusions
This is where I will specifically recap about what I covered. I will use bulletpoints to
allow my reader ease of access to my main points

· Larger Problem (Psychological)

· Larger Problem (Homelessness)
· Local Focus (No legal protection)
· This is what we should do to addresss this problem.

Sources Cited
Barker, Meg John, and Christina Richards. “Further Genders.” The Palgrave Handbook of
the Psychology of Sexuality and Gender, doi:10.1057/9781137345899.0017.
Bochenek, Michael; Knight, Kyle. “Establishing a Third Gender Category in Nepal: Process
and Prognosis”, 26 Emory Int’l L. Rev. 11 (2012)

“FAQ: The Gender Nondiscrimination Act.” Transgender Law Center,

transgenderlawcenter.org/resources/know-your-rights/faq-the-gender-nondiscrimination-
act.

“Housing & Homelessness.” National Center for Transgender Equality,

transequality.org/issues/housing-homelessness.

“New Study Finds Genderqueer People Face Unique Patterns of Abuse and Discrimination.”
National LGBTQ Task Force, 23 Apr. 2012,

“NORTH DAKOTA APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.” Landlord/Tenant Rights,

ndaa.net/index.php/landlordtenant-rights.

“State of Homelessness.” National Alliance to End Homelessness,

endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-statistics/state-of-
homelessness-report/.

Valentine, Sarah E., and Jillian C. Shipherd. “A Systematic Review of Social Stress and
Mental Health among Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming People in the United
States.” Clinical Psychology Review, vol. 66, 2018, pp. 24–38.,
doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2018.03.003.