Supporting Family Inclusion and Relationship Diversity.

WHEREAS: The City of Somerville and the Somerville City Council celebrates the diversity of our community, including the diverse composition of families and intimate relationships therein; and WHEREAS: The Council recognizes that diverse family structures, including relationship structures involving more than two adults engaged in a loving, mutually interdependent relationship, are becoming increasingly common; and WHEREAS: In 2020, Somerville became the first City to recognize domestic partnerships between two or more people, which spurred Cambridge and Arlington to do so and more to consider making such changes; and WHEREAS: People involved in interpersonal relationships between two or more adult individuals that involve romantic, physical, or emotional intimacy face discrimination in many aspects of public life due to prejudices related to the validity and moral fitness of such relationships; and WHEREAS: The City has enacted anti-discrimination provisions throughout its Municipal Code to prohibit discrimination in matters of housing, employment, education, contracts, purchasing, and public accommodations as well as to spur positive societal change; and WHEREAS: The City of Somerville acknowledges that many antidiscrimination laws were enacted in a time when diverse family and relationship structures were not properly recognized and now seeks to recognize the diverse relationship structures of its residents, including multi-partner/multi-parent families and relationships, and consensual sexual relationships, including relationships involving consensual non-monogamy; and WHEREAS: In order to recognize these relationships in the full scope of anti-discrimination law, we must change the antidiscrimination language of the Ordinances of the City of Somerville to prohibit discrimination on the basis of relationship status; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That this Council commits to ensuring nondiscrimination for multi-partnered families and relationships, including in housing, employment, education, contracts, purchasing, and public accommodations, by updating its Municipal Code; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the City of Somerville encourages anyone doing business within the community or with the City to adopt similar nondiscrimination provisions in order to ensure fairness and equity.