Advocates focus narrowly in new legislative session
by Ethan Jacobs
Bay Windows
Saturday Jan 10, 2009

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=85640

In the midst of an economic crisis that will no doubt occupy much of the legislature's time, LGBT advocates have their sights set on two goals as the start of the new legislative session: to pass a transgender rights bill and to try to protect state funding for LGBT and HIV-related programs.

MassEquality, the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC), and their coalition partners have made passage of the trans rights bill - which would add protections based on gender identity and expression to the state's non-discrimination and hate crimes laws - their top priority this session, and the groups will spend the next two months working to recruit cosponsors of the bill to give it momentum before an expected Judiciary Committee hearing. Advocates will also work to preserve LGBT and HIV funding as Gov. Deval Patrick prepares to make an emergency $1 billion cut to the current budget and puts together his budget proposal for the next fiscal year.

by Ethan Jacobs
Bay Windows
Saturday Jan 10, 2009

QuoteScott said he expects the {trans} bill to get another hearing before the Judiciary Committee, and as with last year's hearing MTPC and its coalition partners will encourage trans people and their families and allies to testify before the committee about the importance of providing equal protections to transgender people. He said one encouraging development about the campaign for the trans rights bill has been that many members of the transgender community have felt newly empowered to advocate for their rights.

"The days of us just taking the crumbs, those are over. We pay our taxes, we contribute to society, and we should be treated just like everyone else," said Scott.