Stacey Skala Orr, the Executive Director of the Oregon Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), believes, "equality is a powerful term. It reflects a world in which all people are afforded the same basic rights and privileges."

"For LGBTQ people, discrimination is present everywhere and everyday," Orr notes, "and needs to be addressed on many levels." As the Executive Director of NASW Oregon Chapter, Orr addresses discrimination on an institutional level through the Chapter's legislative efforts. This includes making legislation that supports equality and challenges discrimination a Chapter priority, such as "when couples who are in committed relationships are denied the right to enter into a legally-recognized relationship with the partner of their choice."

NASW Oregon Chapter joins BRO in celebrating the recent passage of domestic partnerships and anti-discrimination laws, and worked hard to advocate for the passing of these laws during the 2007 session. But Orr also hopes to inspire social workers in all roles and settings to embrace the various ways that we can take a stand against discrimination, from individual action to advocating for systemic change.

Raised in Los Angeles, Orr went to college in rural Lawrence, Kansas, and it was there that she first noticed the rampant discrimination faced by LGBTQ people daily.  She reflects on the experiences of her college roommate, an openly gay drag performer, living in a conservative environment that often did not accept or tolerate him: "I would sometimes try to put myself in his shoes. The discrimination was sometimes subtle, such as looks people would give him as he walked down the street. At times it was more overt though, such as threatening comments filled with hatred. And this was a daily occurrence."

As a social worker, Orr has been influenced by her chosen profession's code of ethics "Social work grew out of humanitarian and democratic ideals and its values are based on the respect of the equality, dignity, and worth of all people. A core value of social workers is social justice, and the most viable way to achieve that is through combating social injustice." To Orr, the fight for equality for LGBTQ people is "ethical practice as a social worker and as a person."