The Guardian ·
Seattle passes measure to protect non-monogamous people as protected class
City council votes unanimously in favor of bill that also protects multigenerational households
Seattle passed a measure on Tuesday to extend civil rights protections to non-monogamous people and multigenerational households, and recognize additional sexual orientations and gender identities as protected classes under local law. The city council voted unanimously in favor of the bill.
As the largest city yet to pass such a law, Seattle joins a growing group of local governments acknowledging non-monogamous and polyamorous people as frequent subjects of housing and workplace discrimination, and in need of commensurate protection. Boston suburbs Cambridge and Somerville, and Berkeley and Oakland in California’s Bay Area, have previously passed similar policies; Seattle is the 10th city to do so. Advocates say the efforts help local governments serve the many family structures that actually exist, not just the ones that are easy to define.
Research cited by the city council suggests that 10-20% of North Americans have engaged in consensual non-monogamy during their lives, while 5% are currently non-monogamous. More than 50% of respondents to a 2018 academic survey reported experiencing discrimination due to their consensual non-monogamous practices, including in medical settings, workplaces and family court.