The Massachusetts legislature has been considering equal rights for transpeople for 6 years. It is claimed that it is finally coming up for a vote in the next couple of days.
Except, you know, it won't be for full equal rights…and even then, Republicans are claiming that the bill is unnecessary and anti-business.
Although the bill will provide protections from discrimination in housing, employment, and credit, public accommodations will not be included.
Republicans no doubt think that all transpeople are gay, so that protections against discrimination against GLB people apply…but they know damn well that they don't…or they wouldn't be fighting this.
Some of the opponents to the bill claimed that the legislature should establish the economy as its priority. I guess they don't have time for fairness and equality. Representative Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica) contended that the transgender bill is a distraction from bills that would protect the state's economic future.
He was addressed by Ken and Marcia Garber, whose transgender son was bullied and discriminated to such an extent that he died of a drug overdose.
It is estimated that Massachusetts has about 33,000 transgender residents.
Some of these people will never have a future if they don’t do something.
I think the ultra left-wing interest groups here are making a push in conjunction with Transgender Awareness Week, and, unfortunately, the leaders are actually giving in to it.
--Marc Lombardo, who once again referred to the bill as the "transgendered bathroom bill"
Of course, for people like Lombardo and the Massachusetts Family Institute, the "right time" for such a bill would be "never".
Supporters were vocal.
This bill includes essential protections for transgender residents, who are not currently protected in any areas of the Commonwealth’s civil rights laws. We strongly urge the House and Senate to quickly pass this bill.
--Gunner Scott, executive director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition
We support this bill. We want complete protections for transgender people -- including in public accommodations -- but also know that in order to get there, we cannot walk away from the legislature’s first step toward achieving those full protections.
--Jennifer Levi, director of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders’ (GLAD) Transgender Rights Project
This bill is about giving transgender people an equal shot at obtaining everyday basics we all need -- a job, a place to live, an education. It’s a major step forward for fairness, and we urge the legislature to pass it right away.
--Gavi Wolfe, legislative counsel, for the ACLU of Massachusetts.
This bill will give basic civil rights protections to transgender people, who suffer disproportionately from discrimination and violence. No one should be denied a job or have to live in fear for their safety simply because of who they are."
--Rebekah Gewirtz, director of Government Relations and Political Action for the National Association of Social Workers, MA
The bill is known as An Act Relative to Transgender Equal Rights (House Bill 502 and Senate Bill 764). It will add gender identity to the list of classes currently protected by Massachusetts civil rights laws to prohibit discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, education, and credit (except public accommodations). It will also add gender identity to the list of characteristics covered by the hate crimes law.
First there will be a vote of the Judiciary Committee, following hearings that were held last June. Then it will pass to the floors of the respective houses. If it passes, Massachusetts would become the 16th state to have passed such protections.