I <3 NY? Not so much . . .

[HelenW]

I posted a comment on this video discussing the fact that cis LGB people are protected in NY by nondiscrimination laws and marriage equality but that trans people are still unprotected in most parts of the state. I suggested that cis LGB people are fine coming to NY but that trans people may want to think twice.

Yes, they censored my comment.

Since this is a government run entity (check out iloveny.com) they have arguably violated my 1st amendment right to free speech. I guess they are ashamed of their inability/unwillingness to pass the Gender Expression Non Discrimination Act. They ought to be called on it, if ya ask me.

[Ltl89]

Censoring a comment on a video doesn't qualify as a violation of your first amendment rights.  Although, I agree with your point.  I live in NY and it pains me that they won't pass Genda.  You can thank the Senate and Dean Skelos for that.  In my area, we don't have any anti-discrimination laws for trans people (not to my knowledge at least), so it is fair game to fire anyone for being trans.  So much for the progressive blue state people make us out to be. 

[King Malachite]

Thanks for letting me know.  I had seriously been considering moving up there in the future(even if it meant being homeless for a little while) just to escape being here down south.  Now I will be thinking more carefully.  Granted, no one can escape discrimination 100 percent but still....I expected a little bit better from NY.  Hopefully by the time I am ready to move, NY would have reconsidered and passed that bill.

[Ltl89]

Thanks for letting me know.  I had seriously been considering moving up there in the future(even if it meant being homeless for a little while) just to escape being here down south.  Now I will be thinking more carefully.  Granted, no one can escape discrimination 100 percent but still....I expected a little bit better from NY.  Hopefully by the time I am ready to move, NY would have reconsidered and passed that bill.

While we don't have the bill, I do imagine people here are more open minded and civil to employees who are transgender than other areas of the country.  So, it's not terrible.  Also, I believe it is illegal to discriminate against transgender people for employment purposes in the city.  It isn't statewide, but there are better areas.  Also, just because something is law, it doesn't mean that people won't get around it.  People ignore discrimination laws all the time and find ways to justify it because it is hard to prove discrimination.  In this case, you want to live in an area that is more open to people who are transgender regardless of what the law says on the books.  Most of New York may turn out better than other places.  Perhaps I am a biased New Yorker, but we are number 1,lol.  Seriously, we have are problems, but we aren't so bad here.

[King Malachite]

While we don't have the bill, I do imagine people here are more open minded and civil to employees who are transgender than other areas of the country.  So, it's not terrible.  Also, I believe it is illegal to discriminate against transgender people for employment purposes in the city.  It isn't statewide, but there are better areas.  Also, just because something is law, it doesn't mean that people won't get around it.  People ignore discrimination laws all the time and find ways to justify it because it is hard to prove discrimination.  In this case, you want to live in an area that is more open to people who are transgender regardless of what the law says on the books.  Most of New York may turn out better than other places.  Perhaps I am a biased New Yorker, but we are number 1,lol.  Seriously, we have are problems, but we aren't so bad here.

That's true.  I'd still much rather live up there than here in SC.   I'm glad to know that it isn't statewide.

[Jamie D]

Censoring a comment on a video doesn't qualify as a violation of your first amendment rights.  Although, I agree with your point.  I live in NY and it pains me that they won't pass Genda.  You can thank the Senate and Dean Skelos for that.  In my area, we don't have any anti-discrimination laws for trans people (not to my knowledge at least), so it is fair game to fire anyone for being trans.  So much for the progressive blue state people make us out to be.

Because the video is on a government site, the comment can be reasonably construed to be an exercise in political speech.

When I worked for a federal government agency, and we were taking public comments on proposed programs, we captured and published every single one.  Even the one from the woman who dressed up as a salmon and claimed to speak for the fish.

I would have been tempted to ask her whether the fish had actually authorized her to speak in their behalf, but I might have been lynched.

So okay, here is the comment I submitted just moments ago:

Why are comments from transgendered persons being censored?  Why can't New York enact GENDA??  As a transgendered person, I might think twice about visiting.  You should drop the "T" out of the title until there is really equality.

[Jamie D]

Welcome me to the club.  My comment did not get approved either.

[Joelene9]

  I went on the YouTube site and found only 3 responses.  The one by 'John Doe' smacks of porno site link. 

  Joelene

[Jamie D]

It's all about appearances, I'm afraid.