By Brandon Simes
Bay Windows Contributor
Wednesday May 5, 2010
The Boston City Council this afternoon unanimously passed a resolution supporting An Act Relative to Gender-based Discrimination and Hate Crimes (S. 1687/H. 1728). The resolution was sponsored by At-Large City Councilor Ayanna Pressley and co-sponsored by fellow At-Large Councilor John Connolly.
"The crass political demagoguery of our transgender friends and neighbors needs to end and I urge the Legislature to take action on this important piece of legislation as soon as possible," said Pressley. "Bigotry and intolerance have no place in our society and it is unfathomable that Massachusetts, long a bastion of individual rights and liberties, would allow any class of its citizens to live in fear of harassment or reprisals."
Connolly expressed a commitment to continuing to support the LGBT community.
"This is not only an LGBT issue, it is a human rights issue and I hope that the State Legislature acts soon in order to protect the rights of our neighbors, friends, family members, and co-workers," he said. "The Boston City Council has repeatedly stood in support of transgender rights and I know that we will continue to support the rights of all Bostonians."
Below is the full resolution:
"RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF AN ACT RELATIVE TO GENDER-BASED DISCRIMINATION AND HATE CRIMES (S. 1687/H.1728)
WHEREAS, Transgender people in Massachusetts face high levels of discrimination and violence because of widespread prejudice; and,
WHEREAS, Transgender youth are often bullied, harassed and lose educational opportunities because they do not conform to stereotypes of how boys and girls should look and act; and,
WHEREAS, According to a survey administered by the National Center for Transgender Rights and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 97% of transgender people report being harassed or mistreated at work; and,
WHEREAS, The same survey also found that, 26% of transgender people have lost their jobs due to their gender identity or expression; and,
WHEREAS, In the greater Boston area, a 2006 survey of 103 male-to-female transgender women found less than 25% had full-time employment and even less had part-time employment; and,
WHEREAS, The Boston City Council should affirm the City’s commitment to equality and freedom from discrimination and violence for all of its residents; and,
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1678 and House Bill 1728 An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination adds the category "gender identity or expression" to the Massachusetts hate crime, employment, housing, credit, public accommodations, and public education non-discrimination laws; and,
WHEREAS, The bill ensures that Massachusetts laws explicitly protect all people from violence and harassment because of their gender identity or gender expression; THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED, That the Boston City Council go on record in support of An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate Crimes (S. 1687/ H. 1728) and urges the Boston Delegation of the Massachusetts State Legislature to support passage of this bill."
