Changemakers | A conversation with Brett Bigham

Brett Bigham, ’91, a life skills teacher for 18-to-21-year-olds with developmental disabilities, was honored as the 2014 Oregon Teacher of the Year. It should have been one of the most special years of his career. But a short time later, he was fired for using his platform to talk openly about being gay and speaking up for LGBTQ+ students.

Since then, he’s remained an educator on his own terms. He helped bolster a special education program in Bangladesh and authored more than 175 free online Ability Guidebooks to help autistic people access places in the community.

His tough fight against the district eventually contributed to a meaningful win for change. His case was included in an amicus brief reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court, influencing the June 2020 ruling that now protects LGBTQ+ people nationwide from workplace discrimination.