PETITION CLOSED

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Demand Oakland Repeal Prohibition on Cross-Dressing
  1. Signatures
    176 out of 200
    Petitioning
    1. Oakland Councilmember (+ 8 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • Oakland Councilmember (Jane Brunner)
      • Oakland Councilmember (Patricia Kernighan)
      • Oakland Councilmember (Nancy Nadel)
      • Oakland Councilmember (Jean Quan)
      • Oakland Councilmember (Ignacio De La Fuente)
      • Oakland Councilmember (Desley Brooks)
      • Oakland Councilmember (Larry Reid)
      • Oakland Councilmember (Rebecca Kaplan)
      • Policy Analyst (Ada Chan)
  2. Created By
    Michael Jones
    Boston, MA
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

UPDATE: In response to the public pressure and media coverage of this law, the Oakland City Council moved to remove this law from the books. Congratulations, and thanks on another victory!

Though it's nearly 150 years old, Oakland has a law on its books making it a criminal offense to wear clothing of a person of the opposite gender. The law? It's called Immoral Dress Code 9.08.080, passed in 1879 to prevent women from wearing men's clothing, and men from wearing women's clothing.

The law is not enforced, but it remains on the books as official legal language. Antiquated? You bet. Time to get it off the books once and for all? Absolutely.

Send the Oakland City Council a message that Immoral Dress Code 9.08.080 has got to go. As an staff member with the Oakland city government said, "People who were not perceived to be part of the social ‘norm' were marginalized and criminalized ... [but] everyone is affected by this, not just queer people. If this law was enforced today, all the women on the police and fire departments could be charged with a misdemeanor for cross-dressing."

 

Recent Signatures

Please Repeal Antiquated Prohibition on Cross Dressing in Oakland City Law

Dear City Councilmembers,

Though it's an antiquated law that's no longer enforced, Oakland has a statute on its books, Immoral Dress Code 9.08.080, that bans men and women from wearing attire that a person of the opposite sex would wear. It's essentially a de facto ban on cross-dressing, one that doesn't reflect the commitment to diversity of the city of Oakland.

Though this law is not enforced, having it on the books certainly sends a negative message. I would like to kindly ask that Oakland City Councilmembers move forward with repealing this law, or at least the portion of this law that bans cross-dressing.

As an intern for the Oakland City Government said to Oaklandlocal.com, "People who were not perceived to be part of the social ‘norm' were marginalized and criminalized ... [but] everyone is affected by this, not just queer people. If this law was enforced today, all the women on the police and fire departments could be charged with a misdemeanor for cross-dressing."

Indeed, this law could affect more than just queer people. It's time to take it off the books.

Thank you for your time.

[Your name]

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