Seattle Ordinance Against Caste Discrimination

NEW DELHI: Seattle is the first city in the United States to ban discrimination based on caste. The Seattle City Council approved an ordinance that amends the city’s municipal code to include caste as a protected class, alongside categories such as race, religion, and gender identity. A survey on caste discrimination conducted by Equality Labs found 67% of Indian Dalits living in the US reporting that they faced caste-based harassment at the workplace, and 27% reporting verbal or physical assault based on their caste.