Nevada had its chance. With three bills actively awaiting action, two (housing and public accommodations) sent by the Senate to the Assembly and one sent by the Assembly to the Senate (employment), Nevada had a shot at becoming the next state to grant legal protections for transgender people.
Then again, so did Maryland, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
But it turned out that Hawaii became the 13th state (plus the District of Columbia) to prohibit workplace discrimination based on gender identity or expression. I had been worried because Gov. Neil Abercrombie had seemed like he was taking a lot of time to sign the bill, but he finally got around to it on Thursday.
For anyone interested, I'll do the math: we now have protections in over one-quarter of the states. Adding the four other states mentioned above would raise that to over one-third.
Meanwhile in Connecticut clergy from Connecticut African American Baptist churches gathered to speak in favor of policies to benefit minorities…except, you know, ending discrimination against transpeople. After all, who would want a transperson showering with your 8-year old child?
Dude, I don't want any adult showering with my 8 year-old child. Including you, Rep. Morris, D-Norwalk. Maybe especially you.
Boise Kimber, president of the convention and senior pastor of First Calvary Baptist Church of New Haven let loose this pearl of great wisdom:
We've been discriminated against for over 400 years -- ain't nothing to us.
The California Assembly Appropriations Committee passed the Gender Nondiscrimination Act (AB 877) by the vote of 12-5, which would strengthen protections in employment, housing and public accommodations for all Californians (just as all these sort of bills do), but will also include gender identity and expression.
I am very pleased that the Gender Nondiscrimination Act advanced today. I believe that the devoted advocacy by members of the transgender community this week set the stage for passage of this important bill, and I am proud to promote this major step toward ensuring equal protection under the law for all Californians.
--Assemblymember Toni Atkins (D-San Diego)
Among other features of the bill, it clarifies that gender identity and expression are covered in all California codes by the words "gender" and "sex".
Next stop: the Assembly floor.
And you may recall that the Maryland Senate tabled transgender protections after they had passed the House of Delegates, in a fit of pique because the House of Delegates had not passed the marriage equality bill which had passed the Senate.
Why we transfolk had to carry the brunt of that political snit is beyond me.
But then the beating of Chrissy Lee Polis happened in Baltimore, which ironically has protections for transpeople at the city level and has had them since 2002,
In some form, it will be reintroduced [this year].
--Joseline Pena-Melnyk, (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George)
What worries me is that she says it won't be the same bill. "The same bill" did not include protections in public accommodation, which she had already dumped. I'm sitting with breath bated.
In Massachusetts, a hearing on the Transgender Equal Rights Bill will be held June 8 at 1pm in Gardner Auditorium at the State House.
MassEquality encouraged supporters of the bill to submit written, rather than oral, testimony on the legislation to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary by May 16.
To submit your testimony, please mail a copy to each of the Committee Chairs:
Senate Chair Cynthia S. Creem
Joint Committee on the Judiciary
Room 405
State House
Boston, MA 02133
House Chair Eugene L. O’Flaherty
Joint Committee on the Judiciary
Room 136
State House
Boston, MA 02133
Be sure to include your full name, address, and phone number in the letter. Please also submit a copy to the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition by emailing testimony@masstpc.org or by visiting this Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition page.
What are you sitting there for? Time's awasting!
Something to look forward to: May 17 is the 2011 International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (or IDAHO), commemorating the removal of homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization on May 17, 1990.
The annual LGBT Pride Day marches emphasize that Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transsexuals are proud of their identity and refuse to be shamed; The Global Day Against Homophobia highlights that in reality it is homophobia that is shameful and must be deconstructed in its social logic and fought against openly.
Lest we forget, here is United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay: