NY Assembly passes transgender non-discrimination bill

The New York Assembly has voted 102-33 to amend the state's human rights law to include anti-discrimination protections based upon gender identity and expression. The bill, known as the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, or GENDA, bans discrimination against transgender people in housing, employment, credit, public accommodations, and other areas of everyday life. "The Assembly has solidly demonstrated once again that it is the leader on civil rights and providing equality for our community where it didn't exist before in New York," said Empire State Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle. First introduced in 2003, GENDA had 74 co-sponsors in the Democratically controlled Assembly, but its future in the Republican dominated Senate is less certain. "My message to the Senate Majority is this: It's now time to do what 78 percent of New York voters believe is the right thing to do and end this discrimination once and for all this year," said Van Capelle. "Thirteen other states already have laws providing protections based upon gender identity and expression, along with 96 cities and counties." Van Capelle said that trans New Yorkers are in constant fear that they will lose their jobs, get kicked out of their home, or be denied service when they go into a restaurant. NYC transgender activist Melissa Sklarz echoed that concern and also called on the Senate to act. NY Gov. David Paterson (D) has said he will sign the bill if the Senate passes it. "I can think of years of personal struggle in the job market and workplace without any legal protection and am now hopeful that there is a real chance that the next generation of transgender New Yorkers will not face these same difficulties," said Sklarz. Albany, Buffalo, Ithaca, New York City, Rochester, Rhinebeck and Suffolk and Tompkins Counties have ordinances protecting trans citizens. In the private sector 153 Fortune 500 companies, including 26 based in New York, have policies in place that protect their transgender employees.