MA Passes Trans Rights Bill Despite Its One Large Flaw

http://www.queerty.com/ma-passes-trans-rights-bill-despite-its-one-large-flaw-20111116/

The Massachusetts state senate just passed the Transgender Equal Rights Bill, making The Bay State the 16th U.S. state to offer protections to transgender people. Democratic Governor Deval Patrick has already agreed to sign it. The bill will add gender identity as a "protected class" in the state's hate crime laws and will prohibit discrimination based on gender identity in jobs, housing, insurance, mortgage loans and credit. However it stops short of protecting trans people from being harassed in public. Oh well.

Celebrating a historic step forward on transgender rights


Posted by Carol Rose, On Liberty  November 16, 2011 05:53 PM


http://boston.com/community/blogs/on_liberty/2011/11/celebrating_a_historic_step_fo.html


ACLU of Massachusetts legislative counsel Gavi Wolfe wrote the following guest blog.

Congratulations, Massachusetts! Today, with the passage of the Transgender Equal Rights Bill by our state legislature, the Commonwealth has taken another important step forward for equality. Governor Patrick has pledged to sign the legislation into law.

This means that Massachusetts will now provide vital protections in employment, education, housing, and credit--and against hate crimes--that transgender residents of the Commonwealth urgently need. We now join 15 other states, the District of Columbia, and nearly 150 cities and towns around the country that have passed laws and ordinances protecting transgender people from discrimination.

Massachusetts is a better state for embracing civil rights. More important, tens of thousands of Massachusetts residents will be better off.