WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 — The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force applauds the Massachusetts legislature's passage today of a bill banning discrimination based on gender identity in employment, housing, insurance, mortgage loans and credit. The measure also includes protections under the state's hate crimes law, but does not contain protections related to public accommodations. Gov. Deval Patrick is expected to sign the measure, which will make Massachusetts the 16th state, along with the District of Columbia, with clear protections for transgender people in its statewide nondiscrimination laws.
Over the years, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force supported this effort by providing legal analysis, testimony, training on lobbying, and activating supporters to take action on the bill.
Earlier this year, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality released Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, which reveals the depth of discrimination against transgender and gender non-conforming people. The groundbreaking study is the first large-scale national study of discrimination against transgender people, and paints the most complete picture than any prior research to date.
The survey showed that 26 percent of transgender people have lost a job due to bias, 50 percent have been harassed at work, 19 percent have been denied a home/apartment, and 19 percent were homeless at some point due to bias, with higher rates for transgender people of color.
Statement by Rea Carey, Executive Director
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
"Our national survey spotlights just how pervasive and severe discrimination is toward transgender people. The alarming personal stories and stats show that transgender people face injustice in many facets of their lives, from jobs to housing to their personal safety. Lawmakers responded appropriately to this crisis by moving to ensure that the people of Massachusetts, regardless of gender identity, are protected from such discrimination. This measure will literally save lives, and we continue to stand with our local partners in their work to secure public accommodations protections for transgender people. Congratulations to MassEquality, the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders and to all those who have worked so hard for so long to secure these critical protections. This is a wonderful victory for the people of Massachusetts."
Lambda Legal applauds Massachusetts legislature passage of transgender rights bill
"We applaud the Massachusetts legislature for passing legislation that will provide basic protections to the thousands of transgender people in Massachusetts."
( New York, November 16, 2011 ) - Today, after both the Massachusetts House and Senate passed a bill that amends the commonwealth's nondiscrimination laws and existing hate crime laws to include gender identity and expression, Lambda Legal Supervising Senior Staff Attorney Greg Nevins issued the following statement:
"We applaud the Massachusetts legislature for passing legislation that will provide basic protections to the thousands of transgender people in Massachusetts. This bill will protect transgender people in housing, credit, and the workplace, and would include transgender people under hate crimes protections. While this bill still does not include critical protections in public accommodations, this is a great step towards fairness for transgender people in the commonwealth.
"Massachusetts is poised to become the sixteenth state in the nation to explicitly include gender identity and expression in its non-discrimination laws and we congratulate our colleagues at Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders and the other organizations that worked so tirelessly for this historic victory.
"Since the beginning of this year, four more states have changed their sexual orientation nondiscrimination laws to include protections for transgender workers. There is momentum towards equality and fairness for transgender people in this country, and we hope that legislatures in New York and Maryland will follow Massachusetts' example.
"While Massachusetts moves forward, there are too many places in our country where the fight for laws against discrimination is stalled. In this economy, everyone can understand the fears of LGBT Americans who face discrimination in employment without a federal law that makes clear to employers that such discrimination is illegal. In fact, Americans overwhelmingly support job protections for transgender, lesbian, gay and bisexual people. We need Congress to pass the Employment Nondiscrimination Act ( ENDA ) to provide workplace protection for all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people across the country.
"We are grateful to transgender people like our client, Vandy Beth Glenn, and others who stand up against discrimination. We are proud of the Massachusetts lawmakers who voted for fairness and we thank Governor Patrick for his leadership and his continued work to support LGBT rights. Until Congress passes ENDA, we will keep fighting with every law and constitutional protection we can use to safeguard the rights of LGBT people."
Lambda Legal is currently representing Vandy Beth Glenn, a transgender woman who was fired from her job as Legislative Editor for the Georgia General Assembly after she told her employer that she planned to transition from male to female. Greg Nevins will argue this case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on December 1.
