passing a law prohibiting discrimination against transgender people
in employment, housing, and public accommodations.
Back on April 7, 2009 the entire Boston staff of Family
Equality Council lobbied at the Massachusetts Statehouse in
support of
House No. 1728, a bill aimed
at ending hate crimes and discrimination based on gender identity
and expression. (Sexual orientation is already included in current
law.) If passed, the bill would prohibit discrimination against
transgender people in employment, housing, public accommodations
(hotels, restaurants, etc.), education and credit laws,
dramatically improving the legal standing of transgender and gender
nonconforming people in the Bay State. Below is an article from
GLAD about the recent poll results.
76% of MA Voters Favor Protecting Transgender People from
Discrimination
New Poll Shows Broad and Deep Support for Current
LegislationThis article is cross posted at GLAD. A new poll shows that 76% of Massachusetts
voters, including 81% of women, support passing a law prohibiting
discrimination against transgender people in employment, housing,
and public accommodations.The poll, conducted by Lake Research
Partners from November 4-8 2009, was released today by a coalition
of Massachusetts organizations* working to pass non-discrimination
legislation. It was based on telephone interviews with 400 likely
voters.
Advocates said the poll demonstrates far greater support for the
non-discrimination bill (H. 1728/S. 1687) than previously thought.
The bill is now being studied by the joint Judiciary Committee of
the legislature.
“Voters understand discrimination and don’t want to see it
allowed in the Commonwealth,” said Rep. Carl Sciortino (D), lead
sponsor of the bill. “Legislators seriously underestimate their
constituents if they think voters don’t get this. It’s time
for Massachusetts to join the 13 other states that ban
discrimination against their transgender citizens.”
Not only did voters say they want their legislators to pass this
law, more than half (51%) are more likely to vote for their
legislator if their representative voted for the bill. Only 14%
would be less likely to vote for such a legislator.
Several states have recently added gender identity and expression
to their non discrimination laws. Last week, voters of Kalamazoo,
MI overwhelmingly passed a measure that will add gays, lesbians,
bisexuals and transgender individuals to an existing city ordinance
banning discrimination in housing, employment and public
accommodations.
“Every day in Massachusetts, transgender people lose their jobs,
are evicted, suffer harassment, and are denied services because of
who they are,” said Sciortino. “Let’s not tolerate that any
more. Let’s pass this bill.”
The poll and the Lake Research Partners analysis can be viewed at
www.glad.org or www.masstpc.org.
*Coalition members include the Massachusetts chapter of National
Organization for Women; the National Association of Social Workers,
Massachusetts Chapter; ACLU of Massachusetts; Massachusetts
Transgender Political Coalition; Gay & Lesbian Advocates &
Defenders; MassEquality; Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political
Caucus; Massachusetts Lesbian and Gay Bar Association; and 70 other
member organizations of the Transgender Civil Rights Coalition.
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