"Following on the footsteps of a watershed year, 2006 saw increased visibility and political gains for the U.S. trans community. Here are some examples:

1.  With the Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act, California became the first state to outlaw gay panic or trans panic defenses to justify violence."

Article cont'd.

Quote2.  Several jurisdictions, including Washington’s Metropolitan King County (Seattle), and Boise, Idaho added gender identity to anti-discrimination laws.

Not to mention the ENTIRE STATE of Washington now has anti-discrimination laws for LGBT (especially the T part in our case), which went into effect in June.

Melissa

New Jersey also banned discrimination based on "gender identity or expression."