MEDIA ADVISORY
WHAT: Bill 10 (2020) relating to gender equity
WHEN: Beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday Feb. 19
WHERE: Honolulu Hale, Council Chamber, Third floor
WHY: To ensure that the City and County of Honolulu treats all athletes equitably without regard to gender, in granting park use permits for sports activities.
Councilmember Kym Pine, a lifelong athlete and water sport enthusiast, introduced Bill 10 to ensure that the Department of Parks and Recreation must not give preferential treatment to mens sport activities when issuing permits for City-owned beaches, parks and facilities.
Growing up as a student athlete on Oahu, I know first-hand that female sports are often treated as inferior to mens sports. In Hawaii, the birthplace of surfing, talented women surfers do not have the same ability to compete as their male counterparts. Its hard to believe that it has been nearly 50 years after the passage of Title IX guaranteeing educational equity, and 56 years since the passage of the Civil Rights Act barring discrimination, said Councilmember Kym Pine.
This grave injustice in the surfing world was brought to my attention by the women of the surfing community. That we are even having this conversation in the year 2020 is disheartening for women. We need to ensure that women have the ability to participate in activities at all city venues, from our surfbreaks to our parks, Councilmember Pine said.
Bill 10 amends the law to prohibit the Department of Parks and Recreation, in issuing park use permits for sports activities, from giving preferential treatment for male activities over female activities. The department also will be required to treat each application uniformly, free from discrimination. Should any applicant be denied a permit, they will be entitled to request a hearing, to take place within 30 days of the refusal.
Bill 10 (2020):
http://www4.honolulu.gov/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-255749/BILL010(20).pdf
Council meeting agenda: https://is.gd/ZpFDUc
Councilmember Kym Pine represents residents of District One, comprising portions of Ewa Villages and Ewa Beach, Kapolei, Makakilo, Kalaeloa, Honokai Hale, Ko Olina, Nnkuli, Mili, Waianae, Mkaha, Keaau and Makua and is chair of the City Councils Committee on Business Economic Development and Tourism.
Media Contact:
Erika Engle
Communications Director
Erika Engle
Communications Director
Councilmember Kymberly Pine
Honolulu City Council, District One
Main (808)768-5001 Direct (808)768-5024