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Equality South Dakota Institute Launched

Written by Angie Wednesday, 17 June 2009 20:15

For Immediate Release

Issue date: January 7, 2009

Equality South Dakota Institute Launched to Secure

Workplace Fairness Policies in South Dakota

SIOUX FALLS--Equality South Dakota Institute (EqSDI) has formed to launch an educational program to promote “best practice” employment policies among leading businesses and municipalities interested in recruiting and retaining a diverse, high-performing workforce. The group aims to see more employers (private and public) expand their nondiscrimination policies to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

Support for EqSDI’s Workplace Fairness project has been provided by the South Dakota ACLU and the Tides Foundation’s State Equality Fund, a philanthropic partnership that includes the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr Fund, the Gill Foundation, and anonymous donors.

“A key tenet of our project is that workers should be judged solely on their merits,” said EqSDI chair Greg Kniffen, a Sioux Falls businessman.  “Another tenet is that all hardworkingSouth Dakotans should have the chance to earn a living and provide for their families. It is not in South Dakota’s best interest to deny anyone the option to contribute to the economic life of our state because of characteristics that have no bearing whatsoever on the ability to do a job.”

There is broad public support for extending nondiscrimination protections and pending federal legislation. A 2008 Gallop poll found that 89% of Americans believe that gay people should be protected from being unfairly fired. EqSDI’s sister organization, Equality South Dakota, commissioned an informal poll in October of 2008 through which 390 South Dakota households from voter files were called and asked if they supported federal legislation that would make it illegal to fire or discriminate against people just because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Fully 77.9% indicated they supported it.

Twenty states currently have laws making it illegal to fire someone based on their sexual orientation and 12 states protect individuals based on their gender identity. More than 90% of Fortune 500 companies have voluntarily included sexual orientation in their nondiscrimination policies -- as have 30 of the 50 largest employers in South Dakota.

The mission of EqSDI is to secure and protect the rights and wellbeing of LGBT South Dakotans and their families through education and advocacy. Project staff members are Angie Buhl and Karen Mudd, both based in Sioux Falls. For more information about EqSDI, contact Karen Mudd ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or 271-4136.

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