Calif. Senate OKs transgender protections (Companies MUST hire transgenders)

Yahoo ^ | July 25, 2003 | Ellen Maremont Silver

[nwrep]

Calif. Senate OKs transgender protections

Fri Jul 25, 8:11 PM ET

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Ellen Maremont Silver, Gay.com / PlanetOut.com Network

SUMMARY: The California Senate passed a groundbreaking bill on Thursday that makes it illegal to discriminate against transgender people in housing and employment.

The California Senate passed a groundbreaking bill on Thursday that makes it illegal to discriminate against transgender people in housing and employment. AB 196 adds "gender identity or expression" to sex and other characteristics that are already protected by the state's Fair Employment and Housing Act.

The bill, passed by the Assembly in April by a 41-34 vote, now goes to Gov. Gray Davis (news - web sites), who is expected to make a decision in approximately two weeks. The Senate vote was 23-11 along strict party lines: All in favor were Democrats, all opposed were Republicans.

Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, authored the bill. Equality California, the state's GLBT advocacy organization, worked closely with the five-member legislative GLBT caucus to achieve passage of the bill.

Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica, one of the bill's co-authors and a caucus member, called AB 196 "a simple matter of civil rights. California law already protects against hate crimes based on gender stereotyping, and protects students and teachers from discrimination or harassment on this basis. ... We should not tolerate such arbitrary discrimination that can lead to the problems of unemployment and homelessness among those who are perceived as different."

The San Francisco Department of Public Health (news - web sites) reported 70 percent unemployment among transgender people in 1999, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

AB 196 allows employees to dress consistent with their gender identity as long as they meet reasonable workplace appearance standards. It is endorsed by more than 50 business, religious and civil rights organizations, from the California Labor Federation to the California Apartment Association. As expected, conservatives have criticized the measure.

If Davis signs the bill into law, California will join Minnesota, New Mexico and Rhode Island in explicitly prohibiting gender identity-based discrimination. Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and the District of Columbia have statutes that have been interpreted to protect transgender people in certain circumstances. No federal law protects GLBT individuals in the workplace, but activists and organizations including the Human Rights Campaign are developing one.

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[Brad’s Gramma]

Taking this thread to the next page cuz I'm sick of looking at what'sit'sface on the first page.

Sheeeeeeeesh.

[the Deejay]

Know what ya mean.

[Dante3]

Another reason never to vote for a Democrat.

[viaveritasvita]

>>"If this were put to a vote in California 75% of the population woule vote against it."<<


Not that THAT would mean anything. I remember a vote (forgot the name/#) maybe 10 yrs ago where nearly 60% of the voting Kalifornicaters voted to stop all services to illegals (education, medical, housing, welfare). Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it went to the leftie courts, which declared it unconstitutional.

So much for the will of we the people.

KA is a goner. RIP.

[viaveritasvita]

>>"...we don't have that kind of insanity."<<


Yet.

What's that old saying? As California goes, so goes the nation?

[EternalVigilance]

Hmmm...this looks like a developing 'Gray Davis Legacy'...

[radiohead]

One of my sisters worked for NOW in DC (hey, it's a job...).

Anyway, across the hall from her was a man undergoing a sex change and wearing female clothing, etc. She was trying to learn to live with it, but problems arose when she was asked to work late several times a week. She had baby-sitting problems and they told her she could bring her son in, no problem.

She refused to bring her son in to be around the guy, and after a few weeks, decided to leave. The great Patricia Ireland herself talked her into staying, but my sister didn't last too much longer. Just not an environment you want to work in.

BTW - after all their talk about sisterhood, etc., the white lesbians used to sit around after hours and use all kinds of racist language against blacks. That was another reason my (black) sister couldn't stay...

[viaveritasvita]

Roger's show is about the only thing I miss about that sink hole of a state.

[MonroeDNA]

Thanks!

[MonroeDNA]

Possibly!

[Lijahsbubbe]

., the white lesbians used to sit around after hours and use all kinds of racist language against blacks. That was another reason my (black) sister couldn't stay...

Oh, but the lesbians sure like to ride on those civil rights coattails though, don't they?

[the Deejay]

Your welcome! ;)

(I like what you had to say and the way you said it.)

[Brad’s Gramma]

HAHAHAHA

Thanks, I was starting to get a tad paranoid about that post. :-)

You, Sir, may come to CA anytime you want. We'll show you what a lovely state it is.

In SPITE of the Dems...it's a wonderful state. We're just having a bit of a problem right now. Hang in there everyone, we're fixing it up.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Well isn't that just oozing with tolerance?

Good grief. That makes me absolutely sick.

[Hildy]

Here's are some pictures of Roger doing his show in front of my store (that's me sitting down). We have the largest Oktoberfest in So. Cal on the street my store is on. I got Roger to broadcast in front of my establishment that day. It was a lot of fun (And I got tons of publicity!!!). He's coming back this year too.

[viaveritasvita]

That's awesome! Good for you, kiddo!

If you want to give more info on your store (location, type, etc) -- privately, if you prefer -- I'll pass it on to my friends in San Diego.

[sheik yerbouty]

Oh what a silly plight,
to become a hermaphrodite!

[sheik yerbouty]

They would be paid to put their clothes on!

[L.N. Smithee]

This always happens when the California Senate has passed all the budget items and other important business and has nothing else to do. Oh, wait a minute...

There is now a Gay/Lesbian Caucus in the Cal legislature. Heck with the budget, that's what they're there for.

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The California Legislative LGBT Caucus was originally formed in June 2002. The members include Assembly Speaker pro Tempore Christine Kehoe, the Caucus chair, Senator Sheila James ["Zelda"] Kuehl, and Assemblymembers Jackie Goldberg, John Laird, and Mark Leno. The caucus' role is to present a forum for the California Legislature to discuss issues that affect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Californians and to further the goal of equality and justice for ALL Californians.

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[reg45]

A law can't keep people in.

They could always build a WALL.