Transgender identity bill passed by California Assembly panel
http://sdgln.com/news/2013/04/16/transgender-identity-bill-passed-california-assembly-panel4/16/13
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Assembly Bill 1121, authored by Assemblymember Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and co-sponsored by Transgender Law Center and Equality California, passed the Assembly Committee on Judiciary today.
The bill will help ensure that transgender people have access to identity documents that accurately reflect the name and gender that correspond to their gender identity. The bill will next go to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
"Having identity documents that accurately reflect who you are is vital in so many areas of every day life – from applying for a job to exercising our rights at the ballot box," said Masen Davis, executive director of Transgender Law Center. "Many of us wouldn't think twice when asked to show our ID, but this is a very serious issue for transgender people." In 2011, the National Transgender Discrimination Survey showed that 44% of transgender people reported having been denied service, harassed, or assaulted when presenting identity documents that did not match their gender presentation.
