Journalist Emily King (OU)
As we move further into the 21st century, we’ve come to understand that some of our social rules are outdated, restrictive, and demeaning towards some individuals. As legislators, it’s our job to address these concerns and find solutions that will better our state and its people as a whole. One legislator, Rep. Thompson (OU), the Chief Legislative Counselor for the House, saw a strong need for change within O.I.L. ‘s House Standing Rules.
With how they are written, the House Standing Rules of Order restrict what men and women can wear. Thompson wanted to amend these rules to reflect the needs of those who don’t strictly define themselves as “gentlemen” or “ladies.” The dress code also requires men to wear a jacket and tie, which are not items that House leadership require. I talked with Thompson about his Resolution, and he told me:
“The language that exists within the dress code contained many broad statements, but didn’t really cover what normal dress codes cover…On top of that, we have people within this organization that don’t identify with the gender binary, so it’s important to include them.”
Thompson did extensive research to make sure these updates best improved the dress code. He read through articles by the Human Rights Campaign, as well as various companies’ dress codes, before writing OU-804.
This new Resolution also allows the Speaker to further amend the Rules, as they see fit. Thompson believes in the importance of regularly reevaluating legislation to make sure it reflects current ideology. OU-804 is one of four House Resolutions Thompson wrote in order to do so. He said, “we constantly need to be updating our rules and guidelines because those are [our foundation], we still have to fall back on them.”
In the end, all four Resolutions, including OU-804 passed unanimously on the House floor. All in all, these changes set a precedent for the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature as a whole to be able to adapt to modern values. Thompson concluded with these inspiring words:
“All of my legislation, both House bills and internal legislation tries to [improve inclusivity]. That’s most important to me because, when we’re all gone, I want to make sure that we’re in a good place and that everyone feels welcomed.”