GENDA Letter Drop-Off Day! Showing Senators NYS Supports Transgender Non-Discrimination

Post by Pride Agenda volunteer Theo Zegers, student and Capital District resident. Sign up for updates on New York State's transgender non-discrimination bill and more.

There can come along with the prospect of “dropping off letters to senators” a certain apprehension. The overall sense is not very unlike rolling out of bed in the morning, like “oh here we go…” But on February 6, I am content to report, I was a part of a very successful afternoon in which approximately ten concerned citizens, including transgender activists, their families, friends and allies, went and distributed at least 2,000 letters from across the state of New York. (These letters are a mere snowball in the avalanche of support that will follow.)

All of the letters came from the constituents in varying New York State Senate districts, and all expressed the urgency for the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) to pass. GENDA simply expands the human rights legislation that already exists to protect New Yorkers on the basis of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, etc. The population that remains unprotected until GENDA passes includes, but is not limited to: people who identify as transgender, people who are gender non-conforming, and individuals with varying gender expressions.

These key points were all very articulately conveyed by the aforementioned group of concerned citizens; and the message was heard by, well, anyone who was willing to listen. The majority of our audience seemed genuine in their understanding and even agreement that this bill is vital. It was only a very small percentage of staff members throughout the entire afternoon who seemed to zone out slightly as our team relayed its message. The experience was positive and impactful.

Among some of the most powerful highlights of the day, one detail that impressed me was the support from the individuals in our group --some of whom this bill does not directly effect, and yet who uphold the notion that until everyone is free, no one is free. Among our team members, there were parents of transgender children, transgender people of color, and LGBTQ interfaith leaders all contributing time and energy. Christopher Argyros, who heads up the coordination of transgender rights at Empire State Pride Agenda, kept our hope alive by sharing that 16 other states already have this legislation, including states ranging from places like Connecticut to Nevada.

I have faith that New York’s progressive nature will catch up to and eventually outrun its bigotry. Monday’s events were just another smooth leg in the race towards equality and justice.

Also, check out this video montage put together by Transgender Rights Organizer Christopher Argyros:

Ask your senator to support the marriage equality and GENDA bills!

You can help kick off the new legislative session in Albany with marriage equality and GENDA bills that are stronger than ever by asking your state senator to support or co-sponsor both. Communication from constituents like you is essential to changing the hearts and minds of elected officials.

Before marriage equality and GENDA are re-introduced for the new 2011-2012 legislative session, state senators have the opportunity to show their support by becoming co-sponsors of the bills. This is a new opportunity for senators to step up and publicly endorse these bills now that the recent elections have shown how supporting our issues is a winning strategy.

Contact your senator right now. Email them through our action center or call them on the New York State Senate switchboard at 518-455-2800 with the reasons why they should support and even co-sponsor these bills:

"As your constituent, it's important to me that all New Yorkers are treated fairly. Will you support both the bill to allow same-sex couples to get married in this state and the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act?"

Your work to persuade your senator is vital to regaining the momentum towards the broad bipartisan support that will be necessary to actually pass GENDA and marriage equality into law.

Governor Cuomo has already shown a commitment to LGBT equality and justice by calling for marriage equality this year in his State of the State address, by promptly reissuing the executive order prohibiting discrimination against transgender people in state employment, and by appointing Alphonso David -- an African American gay attorney -- to the newly-created position of Deputy Secretary for Civil Rights. We need the New York State Senate to follow his lead. We need you to call your senator early in the legislative session to tell them why they should reconsider their position on legislation providing marriage for same-sex couples and basic transgender civil rights.

Next step: let us know what happened! If your senator's office responds, please contact our Director of Legislative and Political Affairs Brian Coffin at bcoffin AT prideagenda DOT org and tell us what they said.

What the Senate outcome means

Post by Ross D. Levi, Executive Director, Empire State Pride Agenda

It’s becoming clear that there is going to be a change in leadership in the New York State Senate to the Republican Party. Some have speculated that this means an end to progress we will be able to make on LGBT issues here in New York, but I couldn’t disagree more.

We know that as a result of this election we start two votes ahead on marriage equality from where we were before, and have additional support on other issues like the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) and adequate funding for LGBT health and human services. Even more significant is the way this progress was achieved: In a state where incumbents win 98% of the time, we unseated two decades-long anti-LGBT incumbents – one Democrat and one Republican. Senators new and old will now be asking themselves whether they want the strength of our community used against them in the same way two short years from now if they vote against equality for their LGBT constituents.

Also, let’s not forget that the Pride Agenda and the LGBT community have achieved great things with both parties. Two of our most significant legislative victories – the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act and hate crimes legislation – were passed with a Republican senate and a Republican governor. The environment for passing marriage and GENDA is even better than it was then.

We have a strong governor who was outspoken on our issues from day one of his campaign, and he will be joined by other statewide officials who were equally outspoken in favor of our issues. Contrast that to how things went for Carl Paladino. Legislators with ambitions for higher office have to realize that for the past two election cycles, no one has won any statewide office in New York without being expressly pro-LGBT. Maybe that’s because the public is on our side, with 58% of New Yorkers saying they favor marriage equality for same-sex couples and upwards of 70% believing New York should have a law prohibiting discrimination against transgender people.

Our community is coming out of this election cycle strong. We know we have a clear and credible opportunity for victory in 2011, but we also know we have a challenging session ahead of us. The economy and state budget are likely to loom large in Albany for the months to come, so we need to do the hard work of making sure our elected officials understand the importance of our issues, and ensuring that the next time our bills come up for a vote that they succeed.

• We need to highlight business leaders who will remind legislators that New York’s economy misses out on approximately $184 million that flows instead to neighboring states where marriage is permitted for same sex couples.
  
• We will raise up high profile faith leaders in support of marriage equality like Bishop Prince Singh of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, Bishop Robert Rimbo of the Metropolitan New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, President of Union Theological Seminary, and add to their numbers.
  
• We will encourage our friends in law enforcement, the women’s movement and the business community to counteract the myths around basic civil rights protections for transgender people and remind elected officials that our state is falling behind the private sector in banning discrimination based on gender identity and expression.
  
• We will continue to remind our government officials of the state’s critical role in meeting the health and human service needs of New York’s LGBT community through policies, programs and resources.
  
• We will mobilize and add to our 2.5 million New York brothers and sisters in unions that support marriage equality and GENDA.
  
• We will make sure our representatives in Albany hear in person from their constituents by the hundreds, both at home in their districts and in Albany at our Equality & Justice Day in early May.

Won’t you be part of the important work we have to do in 2011? Victory is ours for the taking, but it will not be possible without you.

GENDA Advocacy Day

Photo Credit: Jenna Manders

From left to right, North Country Constituents: Andrea Adams, Patty Bentley, Jenna Manders, Heidi Anne Tatro, and Fiona Fogarty. Senator Betty Little is in the middle.

The Pride Agenda held GENDA Advocacy Day in Albany on May 11, 2010. Participants from key senate districts across New York State represented Western New York, Long Island, the Capital District and the North Country. Everyone traveled to the Capital (some starting out very early in the morning) for the opportunity to meet with their senators and urge them to support the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA).

Additionally, our GENDA campaign partner organization, Housing Works, brought a van of close to 20 advocates from NYC. While over 60 advocates attended crucial legislative meetings, there was also an important opportunity for activists to mix, mingle, and share strategies and best practices around our efforts to bring this bill to the floor of the New York State Senate. These committed transgender rights advocates represented a wide spectrum of communities, including long-time transgender activists, family members, faith leaders, union members and newly active constituents—lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and ally. The Pride Agenda would like to sincerely thank all of the activists and individuals who took time out of their lives, took time off from work, and travelled long hours and many miles to do the important work of meeting with their legislators in Albany.

The information that came out of the legislative meetings was positive and helpful and adds to the momentum to bring the bill to the floor before the end of session in June 2010.

GENDA Advocacy Day served as an important step in the campaign to win civil rights for New York’s transgender citizens. Of course, there’s still much work to be done to pass GENDA into law. To get involved in these next steps, please contact Transgender Rights Program Organizer Ejay Carter at (518) 472-3330 ext 306 or ecarter@prideagenda.org or sign up to receive our action alerts to stay informed on the Pride Agenda’s work and our upcoming opportunities to get involved!

Let's Get Cracking on GENDA

The current issue of Gay City News has an excellent column on the need to pass GENDA in the Senate:

Let's Get Cracking on GENDA
by Paul Schindler

New York’s transgender community is holding a promissory note from the state government in Albany that is well past due.

In 2000, when New York State passed the first statute offering protections to the LGBT community — in that case, from bias-related hate crimes — its provisions only covered gay men and lesbians, not transgender and other gender-variant individuals. Even though many leaders in our community lamented that oversight, two-and-a-half years later, the Legislature, in finally adopting a nondiscrimination law, again left out language regarding gender identity and expression.

For more than seven years since the gay rights law passed, Democratic leaders in New York have promised action on the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA). That time is at hand — the State Senate cannot in good conscience adjourn in June unless it has passed the measure approved twice by the Assembly and supported strongly by Governor David A. Paterson.

A year ago, Senator Thomas K. Duane, the out gay Chelsea Democrat who is the measure’s lead sponsor, voiced confidence that he could muster the votes to enact the legislation before the 2009 Legislature finished up business. With Democrats holding a narrow 32-30 majority in the Senate, it was an article of faith that the measure’s margin of victory would be bipartisan, since several in the majority party, most prominently the anti-gay Pentecostal minister Ruben Diaz of the Bronx, have voiced opposition.

Duane’s hopes were dashed when a coup by two dissident Democrats temporarily deprived the party of its majority and threw the Senate into stalemate for what effectively turned out to be months.

Since that time, our community has endured the unfortunate defeat of the civil marriage equality bill by a 38-24 margin. Significantly, in the context of GENDA’s prospects this spring, none of the “yes” votes came from Republicans. The tradition of LGBT rights initiatives relying on at least some measure of cooperation between the two parties was fractured.

Diaz, flush from his success in beating back gay marriage, has not changed his tune on GENDA, so we will need to rebuild Republican support for moving our community’s agenda forward. Assuming that comity between the two parties does not continue to suffer from last year’s chaotic and ill-tempered squabbling over the Senate’s control, that goal should be achievable.

Whether or not they are willing to publicly commit to the legislation right this minute, some State Senate Republicans have at points during the past several years signaled to constituents who have met with them that they are prepared to vote for passage. Advocates from around the state have heard positive feedback from Kenneth LaValle, John J. Flanagan, and Charles Fuschillo on Long Island, James Alesi from Rochester, and Betty Little from the Saratoga area. Roy McDonald, who now holds the seat vacated when one-time Majority Leader Joe Bruno left the Senate, voted for the legislation as a member of the Assembly.

That’s a group of at least half-a-dozen Republicans who ought to be key targets in the next two months.

There is, of course, work to be done on the Democratic side as well, efforts that might be aided by the desire by some on that side of the aisle to make amends for their “no” vote on marriage equality in December. Joe Addabbo, the freshman senator from Queens, was widely denounced for throwing the community over after accepting significant LGBT money and volunteer time in his 2008 election. Tellingly, he recently signed on as a GENDA co-sponsor.

That example ought to be hammered home to Bill Stachowski, the Buffalo Democrat who voted “no” on marriage, barely won reelection in 2008, and faces several serious opponents in his party’s September primary. In New York City, a full-court press should be put on Brooklyn’s Carl Kruger, who now has an announced primary challenger, and Queens’ Shirley Huntley.

Action on GENDA is unlikely before the end of May. The measure is currently bottled up in the Investigations and Government Operations Committee, where Diaz has kept chairman Craig Johnson, a GENDA supporter, from winning a majority vote from among the five Democrats and three Republicans who serve there.

At the end of May, however, as the Legislature moves into its final month of session, Senate rules allow a sponsor to push for a bill to go to the floor without a committee vote, a strategy Duane is widely expected to employ. Before then, on May 11, the Empire State Pride Agenda is leading a GENDA lobby day targeting a segment of senators viewed as either on the fence or just mildly leaning one way or the other.

Presumably the half-dozen Republicans who have made favorable noise in the past and the Democratic trio from Queens, Brooklyn, and Buffalo will be prime among the ESPA visits that day.

When LGBT money poured into Democratic coffers in 2008, allowing the party to regain the Senate majority after 40 years in the wilderness, the promise was that things would be different for us. So far, on marriage, school bullying, and GENDA, they have not been.

Let’s get this done.

GENDA Campaign Update

A message from Ejay Carter, our Transgender Rights Field Organizer:

Pride Agenda staff, volunteers and other advocacy organizations have been working together to rally the support needed to pass the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA). GENDA would amend the state's human rights law to ban discrimination in housing, employment, credit and public accommodations. It also expands the state’s hate crimes law to explicitly include crimes against transgender people. GENDA has been passed by the Assembly, and the only remaining obstacle to the bill becoming law is the New York State Senate.

For many months now, we have been collecting letters from constituents in Senate districts across the state in support of GENDA. Our goal has been to collect hundreds of these letters and to deliver them at a crucial moment in the GENDA campaign. Our volunteers rose to the challenge and collected nearly 3,000 letters, and on March 2, dozens of activists from around the state gathered in Albany to deliver packets of them to all 62 Senators.

Transgender rights advocates (pictured at left) from the Capital Region, Buffalo and from our GENDA partner organization Housing Works worked together to deliver the letters and to create a buzz around the Capitol that day—the same day that the NYS Assembly passed GENDA for the third time. Most Senators received 15 or more letters; some received hundreds. Both Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson and GENDA lead sponsor Senator Duane received a full set of 3,000 so they could see the scope of the support for the bill from constituents statewide.


On March 9, we followed up our written messages with hundreds of phone calls on our Statewide GENDA Call-In Day. Dozens of state, national and local organizations spread the message about the Call-In Day to every corner of New York State. Activists and allies called their own Senator and lead sponsor Tom Duane to ask them to support GENDA and bring it to the Senate floor for a vote. Afterwards, advocates sent emails reporting their results to the Pride Agenda. Your feedback gave us vital information and will help us plan the next steps in the GENDA campaign.

Many thanks to the volunteers who helped make these important events happen. For more information about how to be involved with the Pride Agenda and the GENDA campaign to bring the bill to the floor for a vote NOW, call Ejay Carter and 518-472-3330 or email him at ecarter@prideagenda.org.

Statewide GENDA Call-In Day Today!

Today, March 9 is the Statewide GENDA Call-In Day. The Empire State Pride Agenda is asking New Yorkers across the state to call their Senators and the lead Senate sponsor Tom Duane at their Albany offices to tell them to bring the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) to the Senate floor and pass it. We’re at a crucial moment and it is vital that they hear from their constituents.

GENDA would amend the state's human rights law to ban discrimination in housing, employment, credit and public accommodations. It also expands the state’s hate crimes law to explicitly include crimes against transgender people. GENDA has been passed by the Assembly, and the only remaining obstacle to the bill becoming law is the New York State Senate. The time is NOW to take action and make our final push to get the Senate to vote to end discrimination against transgender New Yorkers.

Here’s how to make your calls:

1. You can find your State Senator’s Albany phone number here and you can reach Senator Tom Duane at (518) 455-2451.

2. Remember to tell your Senator the number of the GENDA bill (S.2406) and ask them to support GENDA and bring it to the floor for a vote.

3. You can use these talking points about the urgent need for GENDA and the broad support it has:

• Due to difficulty with job discrimination, one-fifth of transgender New Yorkers have incomes below $10,000 a year
• 28% of transgender New Yorkers have experienced a serious physical or sexual assault motivated by hate
• 78% of New York voters support GENDA
• Unions representing 2.1 million working New Yorkers support GENDA
• 30 Fortune 500 companies based in cities like Rochester, Corning, New York City and White Plains already have non-discrimination policies that include gender identity and expression
• 547 clergy and lay leaders representing over 20 different denominations support GENDA

4. After your call, please report your results to the Pride Agenda. E-mail us at prideagenda@prideagenda.org and tell us which Senators you called, who you spoke to in their office, and what their response was. Your feedback will help us in our campaign to win GENDA in 2010!

Assembly passes GENDA in 2010: Vote tally

On Tuesday, the NYS Assembly passed the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) for the third time by an overwhelming bipartisan majority of 100-43.

The State Senate remains the only obstacle to passing GENDA. Early next week, the Pride Agenda will be launching a GENDA Call-In Day to State Senators. Click here to receive an e-mail when it's time to make the calls.

The official Assembly vote tally is below. Click here to find out who your Assemblymember is.

Y = yes, N = no, Abs = absent, D = Democrat, R = Republican, I = Independent

N Abbate, Jr. (D)
Y Alessi (D)
N Alfano (R)
N Amedore (R)
Y Arroyo (D)
Y Aubry (D)
Y Bacalles (R)
N Ball (R)
N Barclay (R)
N Barra (R)
Y Barron (D)
Y Benedetto (D)
N Benjamin (D)
Y Bing (D)
Y Boyland (D)
Y Boyle (R)
Y Bradley (D)
Y Brennan (D)
Y Brodsky (D)
Y Brook-Krasny (D)
N Burling (R)
N Butler (R)
Y Cahill (D)
N Calhoun (R)
Y Camara (D)
Y Canestrari (D)
Abs Carrozza (D)
Y Castro (D)
Y Christensen (D)
Y Clark (D)
Y Colton (D)
N Conte (R)
Y Cook (D)
N Corwin (R)
Y Crespo (D)
N Crouch (R)
N Cusick (D)
Y Cymbrowitz (D)
Y DelMonte (D)
Y DenDekker (D)
Y Destito (D)
Y Dinowitz (D)
Y Duprey (R)
Y Englebright (D)
N Errigo (R)
Y Espaillat (D)
Y Farrell, Jr. (D)
Y Fields (D)
N Finch (R)
N Fitzpatrick (R)
Y Gabryszak (D)
Y Galef (D)
Y Gantt (D)
Y Gianaris (D)
Y Gibson (D)
N Giglio (R)
Abs Glick (D)
Y Gordon, T (I)
Y Gottfried (D)
Y Gunther (D)
N Hawley (R)
N Hayes (R)
Y Heastie (D)
Y Hevesi (D)
N Hikind (D)
Y Hooper (D)
Abs Hoyt (D)
Y Hyer-Spencer (D)
Y Jacobs (D)
Y Jaffee (D)
Y Jeffries (D)
Y John (D)
N Jordan (R)
Y Kavanagh (D)
Y Kellner (D)
N Kolb (R)
Y Koon (D)
Y Lancman (D)
Y Latimer (D)
Y Lavine (D)
Y Lentol (D)
Y Lifton (D)
N Lopez, P (R)
Y Lopez, V (D)
Y Lupardo (D)
Y Magee (D)
Y Magnarelli (D)
Y Maisel (D)
Y Markey (D)
Y Mayersohn (D)
N McDonough (R)
Y McEneny (D)
N McKevitt (R)
Y Meng (D)
Y Miller (R)
Y Millman (D)
N Molinaro (R)
N Montesano (R)
Y Morelle (D)
Y Nolan (D)
N Oaks (R)
Y O'Donnell (D)
N O'Mara (R)
Y Ortiz (D)
Y Parment (D)
Y Paulin (D)
Y Peoples (D)
Abs Peralta (D)
Y Perry (D)
Abs Pheffer (D)
Y Powell (D)
Y Pretlow (D)
N Quinn (R)
N Rabbitt (R)
N Raia (R)
Y Ramos (D)
N Reilich (R)
Y Reilly (D)
Abs Rivera, J (D)
Y Rivera, N (D)
Y Rivera, P (D)
Y Robinson (D)
Y Rosenthal (D)
Y Russell (D)
N Saladino (R)
Y Sayward (R)
Abs Scarborough (D)
Y Schimel (D)
N Schimminger (D)
Y Schroeder (D)
Y Scozzafava (R)
Y Silver (D)
Y Skartados (D)
Y Spano (D)
Y Stirpe (D)
Y Sweeney (D)
N Tedisco (R)
Y Thiele (I)
Y Titone (D)
Y Titus (D)
N Tobacco (R)
Y Towns (D)
N Townsend (R)
Y Weinstein (D)
Y Weisenberg (D)
Y Weprin (D)
Y Wright, K (D)
N Zebrowski (D)

Gender Identity & Expression: From Policy to Practice

The Pride Agenda's Pride in My Workplace Coordinator Wazina Zondon reports back from our most recent event in the Business Leaders for Equality series:

The Pride in My Workplace program and JPMorgan Chase & Co. hosted the third panel in the 2009 Business Leaders for LGBT Equality Series on Tuesday evening, Gender Identity & Expression: From Policy to Practice, moderated by Marla Hassner, Pride in My Workplace Committee Co-chair and Pride Agenda Foundation Board Member.

JPMorgan Chase & Co’s Director of Corporate Diversity, Amita Mehta, discussed the company’s nine-year journey to full implementation of inclusive policies. One major motivator was a 2003 employee survey that asked LGBT staff to self-identify, in which 11% of the LGBT staff said they were transgender. The company’s global commitment to transgender employees, including full medical benefits, has been successful because of support from senior management support and advocacy from JPMorgan Chase's LGBT affinity group, Pride Network.

Debra Oppenheimer, a Senior Network Specialist at a Rochester-based company spoke about the difficulties she experienced while transitioning in the workplace and simultaneously educating and lobbying her Texas-based firm to create inclusive policies and transition guidelines.

Long Island transgender activist and Software Engineer, Eileen Thomas, who transitioned in the workplace in 2005, overcame the challenge this summer of interviewing for a new job as her female self, even though much of her prior work record was under a different name. Although successfully working at a new company, Eileen, like many other transgender professionals, had to navigate whether and how she should disclose personal information about her past, including her transition. Animated conversations with attendees continued over cocktails after the Q&A.

Several municipalities in New York State, including New York City and Rochester, as well as Suffolk County, have extended their human rights law to protect gender identity and expression in the workplace. But there is no state-wide law to protect all transgender and gender non-conforming New Yorkers. The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) would extend protections in employment, public accommodation, housing, and credit and is currently pending in the State Senate.

Learn more about companies who have voluntarily adopted protections for transgender employees in our 2009 publication: Transgender Issues in the Workplace: Lessons from Across New York State.


For more information and support on creating a fully inclusive workplace, please contact Pride in My Workplace Coordinator, Wazina Zondon at (212) 627-0305 or wzondon@prideagenda.org

Pride Agenda calls for Senate vote on marriage, GENDA and Dignity

In response to developing events in the New York State Senate, the Pride Agenda has released the statement below. Also of note is this entry from the the New York Times' City Room blog, which quotes Senator Pedro Espada Jr., a co-sponsor of the marriage bill, as saying that he personally wants to bring same-sex marriage to a "vote of conscience of the senators." Stay tuned for more updates from the Pride Agenda as this situation unfolds:

Pride Agenda calls for Senate vote on marriage equality, GENDA and Dignity
Statement by Empire State Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle

“The Empire State Pride Agenda and our allies have fought hard to make sure that same-sex couples in New York are given access to marriage and the 1,324 rights and responsibilities that come with a state marriage license. We have also fought hard to end legal discrimination against transgender New Yorkers and bias-based harassment in schools.

The marriage equality bill recently passed by an overwhelming margin in the State Assembly and was gaining momentum in the State Senate as the end of the session approached. The same is true for the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act and the Dignity for All Students Act.

Our issues are not partisan issues. They are about equal rights for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who are treated like second class citizens. Our hope and expectation is that yesterday’s events will not derail efforts by our community to win the equality we so desperately need.

It is time to bring marriage equality and these other LGBT issues to the Senate floor for votes and have members vote their conscience. We urge the Senate to schedule these votes as soon as possible before the end of the legislative session.”

GENDA's Time is Now

Last Friday's Gay City News featured a Perspectives column by Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle on the need to pass the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) now.

GENDA's Time is Now
By Alan Van Capelle

With all the national attention being focused on efforts to pass a marriage equality bill in New York before the end of the legislative session on June 22, let's not forget that this isn't the only important issue our community has been working on to pass into law. Another critical piece of legislation is the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) that provides long-overdue legal protections for transgender members of our community.

Some still remember a time when it was perfectly acceptable to be fired from a job, denied a lease on an apartment, or refused service in a restaurant for being gay or lesbian, but increasingly this is becoming community history. This isn't the case for our transgender brothers and sisters by any stretch of the imagination -- discrimination is still ever-present in their lives, down to the most day-to-day aspects of living. Even just walking down the street safely can be a challenge for transgender New Yorkers. It's time to end this injustice and pass GENDA -- and New Yorkers agree by an overwhelming 78 percent, according to polling we did last year.

Let me be clear on what this means. When any issue polls this high, it has moved out of the realm of being the least bit controversial or still up for debate by the electorate. The debate is over. Transgender discrimination is unacceptable to the overwhelming majority of New Yorkers. The New York State Democratic Party got this message two years ago and unanimously approved a resolution calling for the passage of GENDA. So, too, did the New York State AFL-CIO, when it did the same last year. The New York State Assembly has stepped up and passed GENDA two years in a row with bipartisan support. And now the votes are there from both Democrats and Republicans to pass it in the State Senate, and if the Senate does the governor has already indicated that he will sign it into law.

So what's the holdup?

Well, the opposition knows that GENDA is going to happen sooner or later and they're trying to slow it down through misinformation and fear-mongering. They've taken to calling it the "bathroom bill" and they spin all types of ominous scenarios about bathrooms and child molestation -- none of which, of course, can be backed up with evidence anywhere in the many jurisdictions across New York or the US where laws like GENDA are in place.

They also say that GENDA will create hardships for businesses and workplaces that all of a sudden will be forced to accommodate the needs of transgender employees. And yet workplaces in New York, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses, have been successfully addressing this issue for a long time. In fact, the Pride Agenda put out a report earlier this year with business case studies that specifically discredit the assertions opponents make about "chaos" in the workplace.

Once assemblymembers approved GENDA in 2007 and there was no reaction in the press or from voters at election time, the light bulb went off that what our community had been telling them was true. New Yorkers don't like discrimination of any form and that includes discrimination against transgender people.

The other impediment with GENDA is getting the Senate to move beyond promising to get it done to actually getting it done. The Pride Agenda recognized a number of years ago that when only LGBT people push to get a bill passed in Albany it takes a while because we're just a small slice of the electorate. But when we expand support for our issues outside of the LGBT community, the heat on elected officials to do something increases substantially. We're seeing this with marriage equality and we're making this happen with GENDA too.

Like marriage, we have been successful working with those whose opinions matter to legislators. Labor unions have passed resolutions in support of GENDA and a growing numbers of clergy and people of faith are saying it's time to provide equality for transgender New Yorkers. And we've been highlighting the fact with legislators that businesses figured out a long time ago how to operate a productive workplace that includes transgender employees.

The LGBT community has done the work these past few years to show the Senate that it is not a tough political lift to pass GENDA. Transgender people all across the state have been effective in moving a number of senators to be supportive when they previously were not. Our polling shows and last year's elections proved that there is no price to be paid at the ballot box by an elected official who votes for GENDA.

There has never been such an opportunity as there is this year to pass GENDA. If we all keep up the heat on the State Senate, GENDA can happen this month. And it absolutely should.

Advocates in Action - Buffalo

Transgender Rights Advocates of Western NY, including Buffalo activist Patti Jones (far left), are preparing a great GENDA float for the Buffalo Pride Parade taking place this Sunday, 6/7. The float has a giant GENDA rainbow and at the end is a pot of gold labeled "Transgender Rights."

If you live in Buffalo, you can march in the parade with the Pride Agenda - meet at 11 AM at the Belmont Shelter Corporation at 1195 Main Street & Dodge, and RSVP with Western New York Program Organizer Todd Plank at tplank@prideagenda.org or 585-271-2420 today.

We'll also be marching in Queens Pride this Sunday, 6/7 - join us at the corner of 37th Avenue and 89th Street in Queens at 11:30 AM. RSVP with Program Organizer Matt Brunner at mbrunner@prideagenda.org or 212-627-0305 x116 today.

Finally, if you'll be at Black & Latino Gay Pride on Saturday, 6/6, stop by the Pride Agenda table at the Health & Wellness Expo at the Albany Riverfront Park at the Corning Reserve from noon to 5 PM.

We hope we'll see you at one of our Pride events soon!

Assembly passes GENDA: Vote tally

Yesterday, the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) passed the NYS Assembly 97-38. The bill now heads to the New York Senate. GENDA (A.5710/S.2406) would provides civil rights protections for transgender New Yorkers by banning discrimination in housing, employment, credit, public accommodations, and other areas of everyday life.

The official vote tally is below. Click here to find out who your Assemblymember is.

Y = yes, N = no, Abs = absent D = Democrat, R = Republican

N Abbate, Jr. (D)
Y Alessi (D)
Abs Alfano (R)
N Amedore (R)
Abs Arroyo (D)
Y Aubry (D)

N Bacalles (R)
N Ball (R)
N Barclay (R)
N Barra (R)
Y Barron (D)
Abs Benedetto (D)
N Benjamin (D)
Y Bing (D)
Y Boyland, Jr. (D)
Y Boyle (R)
Y Bradley (D)
Y Brennan (D)
Y Brodsky (D)
Y Brook-Krasny (D)
N Burling (R)
N Butler (R)
Y Cahill (D)
Abs Calhoun (R)
N Camara (D)
Y Canestrari (D)
Abs Carrozza (D)
Y Castro (D)
Y Christensen (D)
Abs Clark (D)
Y Colton (D)
Y Conte (R)
Y Cook (D)
N Corwin (R)
N Crouch (R)
N Cusick (D)
Y Cymbrowitz (D)
Y DelMonte (D)
Y DenDekker (D)
Y Destito (D)
Abs Diaz, Jr. (D)
Abs Dinowitz (D)
Y Duprey (R)
Y Eddington (D)
Y Englebright (D)
N Errigo (R)
Abs Espaillat (D)
Y Farrell, Jr. (D)
Y Fields (D)
N Finch (R)
N Fitzpatrick (R)
Y Gabryszak (D)
Y Galef (D)
Y Gantt (D)
Y Gianaris (D)
N Giglio (R)
Y Glick (D)
Y Gordon, T (I)
Y Gottfried (D)
Abs Greene, A (D)
Y Gunther (D)
N Hawley (R)
N Hayes (R)
Abs Heastie (D)
Y Hevesi (D)
N Hikind (D)
Y Hooper (D)
Y Hoyt (D)
Y Hyer-Spencer (D)
Y Jacobs (D)
Y Jaffee (D)
Y Jeffries (D)
Y John (D)
N Jordan (R)
Y Kavanagh (D)
Y Kellner (D)
N Kolb (R)
Y Koon (D)
Y Lancman (D)
Y Latimer (D)
Y Lavine (D)
Y Lentol (D)
Y Lifton (D)
N Lopez, P (R)
Y Lopez, V (D)
Y Lupardo (D)
Y Magee, W (D)
Y Magnarelli (D)
Y Maisel (D)
Y Markey (D)
Y Mayersohn (D)
N McDonough (R)
Y McEneny (D)
N McKevitt (R)
Y Meng (D)
Y Miller (R)
Y Millman (D)
N Molinaro (R)
Y Morelle (D)
Y Nolan (D)
Y O'Donnell (D)
N O'Mara (R)
N Oaks (R)
Y Ortiz (D)
Y Parment (D)
Y Paulin (D)
Y Peoples (D)
Y Peralta (D)
Y Perry (D)
Y Pheffer (D)
Abs Powell, IV (D)
Y Pretlow (D)
N Quinn (R)
N Rabbitt (R)
N Raia (R)
Y Ramos (D)
N Reilich (R)
Y Reilly (D)
Abs Rivera, J (D)
Y Rivera, N (D)
Y Rivera, P (D)
Y Robinson (D)
Y Rosenthal (D)
Y Russell (D)
N Saladino (R)
Y Sayward (R)
Y Scarborough (D)
Y Schimel (D)
N Schimminger (D)
Abs Schroeder (D)
Y Scozzafava (R)
N Seminerio (D)
Y Silver (D)
Y Skartados (D)
Y Spano (D)
Y Stirpe (D)
Y Sweeney (D)
N Tedisco (R)
Y Thiele (R)
Y Titone (D)
Y Titus (D)
N Tobacco (R)
Y Towns (D)
N Townsend (R)
Abs Walker (R)
Y Weinstein (D)
Y Weisenberg (D)
Y Weprin (D)
Y Wright, K (D)
Y Zebrowski (D)

GENDA introduced in the Assembly & Senate

The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) has been introduced in the NYS Assembly (Uni A.5710/Gottfried) and Senate (Uni S.2406/Duane).

First introduced in 2003, GENDA would ban discrimination against transgender people in housing, employment, credit, public accommodations, and other areas of everyday life.
GENDA passed in the Assembly for the first time ever in June of last year with a vote of 108-34 and a record 74 co-sponsors.

With the new pro-LGBT Majority in the State Senate and Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith in support of GENDA, we are finally poised to win GENDA in both the Assembly and the Senate —and when we do, we have Governor Paterson’s promise to sign the bill into law. The Pride Agenda will keep working hard to make this happen—and we’ll keep you updated on GENDA’s progress as we do!

Scenes from the Gallery of the NYS Assembly during the GENDA vote

We were in the Gallery yesterday afternoon to watch the debate and vote on the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) and took a few pictures. Several of New York’s leading transgender activists, who have worked hard to pass GENDA, were also there as was Housing Works, who co-facilitates the GENDA Coalition with us.

Melissa Sklarz confers with Bali White.



Rev. Duane Motley (green suit looking at me while I take this picture), who is the Christian right’s voice in Albany, takes a seat among all of us with three of his colleagues. Not surprisingly, Motley’s organization’s is opposed to our entire legislative agenda. We do seem to always meet this way in the Assembly Gallery. We will be working hard to stage several more re-unions in the near future in the Senate Gallery.

GENDA comes up on the boards for the debate.

Listening to some of the more inscrutable things that can sometimes be said during floor debate.

Melissa Sklarz and Moonhawk River Stone look out over the Assembly chamber moments after GENDA passes by a vote of 102-33.

Celebrating the passage of GENDA in the Gallery are: the Pride Agenda’s Jacob Lieberman, Housing Works’ Bali White, Melissa Sklarz from Manhattan, Moonhawk River Stone from the Capital Region and JoAnn Prinzivalli from Westchester County.

Assembly passes GENDA: vote tally

In a bipartisan vote of 108-34, the New York State Assembly just voted to end discrimination against transgender people in housing, employment, credit and other areas of everyday life. The legislation adds "gender expression and identity" to the state's Human Rights Laws. This is a big victory for the thousands of transgender New Yorkers who for years have lived in fear of being fired from their jobs or kicked out of their homes simply for who they are.

The bill has strong support from Governor Paterson, so now it's all up to the New York State Senate.

Below is an official tally of who voted for/against GENDA in the Assembly today (click here if you don't know your Assemblymember).

(italics denote Republicans)

Abbate: No
Alessi: Yes
Alfano: Yes
Amedore: No
Arroyo: Yes
Aubry: Yes
Bacalles: No
Ball: No
Barclay: No
Barra: Yes
Benedetto: Yes
Benjamin: No
Bing: Yes
Boyland: Yes
Boyle: Yes
Bradley: Yes
Brennan: Yes
Brodsky: Yes
Brook-Krasny: Yes
Burling: No
Butler: No
Cahill: Yes
Calhoun: No
Camara: No
Canestrari: Yes
Carrozza: Yes
Christiansen: Yes
Clark: Yes
Cole: No
Colton: Yes
Conte: Yes
Cook: Yes
Crouch: Yes
Cusick: No
Cymbrowitz: Yes
DelMonte: Yes
Destito: Yes
Diaz, L.: Yes
Diaz, R.: Yes
Dinowitz: Yes
Duprey: Yes
Eddington: Yes
Englebright: Yes
Errigo: No
Espaillat: Yes
Farrell: Yes
Fields: Yes
Finch: No
Fitzpatrick: No
Gabryszak: Yes
Galef: Yes
Gantt: No
Gianaris: Yes
Giglio: No
Glick: Yes
Gordon, T: Yes
Gottfried: Yes
Greene: Yes
Gunther: Yes
Hawley: No
Hayes: No
Heastie: Yes
Hevesi: Yes
Hikind: No
Hooper: Yes
Hoyt: Yes
Hyer-Spencer: Yes
Jacobs: Yes
Jaffee: Yes
Jeffries: Yes
John: Yes
Kavanagh: Yes
Kellner: Yes
Kirwan: No
Kolb: Abs
Koon: Yes
Lafayette: Yes
Lancman: Yes
Latimer: Yes
Lavine: Yes
Lentol: Yes
Lifton: Abs
Lopez, P: No
Lopez, V: Abs
Lupardo: Yes
Magee: Yes
Magnarelli: Yes
Maisel: Yes
Markey: Yes
Mayersohn: Yes
McDonald: Yes
McDonough: Yes
McEneny: Yes
McKevitt: Yes
Miller: Yes
Millman: Yes
Molinaro: No
Morelle: Yes
Nolan: Abs
Oaks: No
O'Donnell: Yes
O'Mara: No
Ortiz: Yes
Parment: Yes
Paulin: Yes
Peoples: Yes
Peralta: Yes
Perry: Yes
Pheffer: Yes
Powell: Yes
Pretlow: Yes
Quinn: No
Rabbitt: No
Raia: No
Ramos: Yes
Reilich: No
Reilly: Yes
Rivera, J: Yes
Rivera, N: Yes
Rivera, P: Yes
Robinson: Abs
Rosenthal: Yes
Saladino: No
Sayward: Yes
Scarborough: Abs
Schimel: Yes
Schimminger: No
Schroeder: Yes
Scozzafava: Yes
Seminerio: Yes
Silver: Yes
Spano: Yes
Stirpe: Yes
Sweeney: Yes
Tedisco: No
Thiele: Yes
Titone: Yes
Titus: Yes
Tobacco: No
Towns: Yes
Townsend: No
Walker: Yes
Weinstein: Yes
Weisenberg: Yes
Weprin: Yes
Wright: Yes
Young: Yes
Zebrowski: Yes

GENDA passes Assembly Codes Committee

The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) has just passed the Assembly Codes Committee by a bipartisan vote of 16-2. The bill had already passed in the Government Operations Committee on April 30 and now goes to the Assembly Rules Committee, which is chaired by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

Thirteen Democrats and three Republicans voted for moving GENDA, while only two Republicans voted against. Democrat Robin Schimminger was the only Assemblymember absent for the vote.

GENDA has 75 co-sponsors in the Assembly and 101 Assemblymembers are on record in support of the bill, according to our Legislative Scorecard.

Below is the Codes Committee vote count.

Voting for:

Joe Lentol (D) (Chair)
Philip Boyle (R)
James Brennan (D)
Vivian Cook (D)
Steven Cymbrowitz (D)
Tom Kirwan (R)
Charles Lavine (D)
Daniel O'Donnell (D)
Nick Perry (D)
J. Gary Pretlow (D)
Dede Scozzafava (R)
Michele Titus (D)
Helene Weinstein (D)
Mark Weprin (D)
Keith L.T. Wright (D)
Kenneth Zebrowski (D)

Voting against:

George Amedore (R)
David R. Townsend (R)

E&J Day Gets GENDA Moving

The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), which would outlaw discrimination against transgender people in New York, has just passed the Assembly’s Government Operations Committee. Currently it is legal in New York to be fired from your job, kicked out of your house or be denied service in a restaurant just for being transgender. GENDA would put an end to this kind of discrimination.

The Committee vote comes the day after 1300-plus LGBT and straight New Yorkers were in Albany lobbying for key LGBT bills, including GENDA. The bill currently has 74 co-sponsors and, according to the Pride Agenda scorecard, 94 Assemblymembers would vote for the bill if brought to the floor. That’s way more than the 76 votes required to pass. Additionally, in a poll that the Pride Agenda commissioned in Feb. of this year, 78 percent of New York voters support passing this bill.

The vote was 9-2, with one absence (Marcus Molinaro), and went right down party line (Dems voting for, Republicans voting against):

Voting for GENDA:

RoAnn Destito (chair)
Michael Benedetto
Patricia Eddington
Sandy Galef
Rory Lancman
George Latimer
Margaret Markey
Crystal Peoples
Bob Rielly

Voting against GENDA:

Jack Quinn
Joe Saladino


Next up for GENDA: the Codes Committee

Governor Paterson speaks out on marriage equality, safe schools and transgender protections

Last night several of us from the Pride Agenda attended the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s New York Leadership Awards dinner in New York City where Governor David Paterson was honored for his longstanding work on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights.

The Pride Agenda’s Executive Director Alan Van Capelle was to have introduced the Governor to the crowd, but due to ongoing budget negotiations in Albany the Governor was unable to attend. Instead Alan introduced top Paterson aide Sean Maloney who accepted the award on behalf of the Governor. After brief remarks, Maloney let the Governor do the rest of the talking through his video message, which as you will see is both humorous and heartfelt.

Not only did Governor Paterson renew his vow “to push on until we bring full marriage equality to New York state,” he also promised to fight for an end to bullying in schools due to bias and discrimination protections for transgender New Yorkers -- all issues well over 1000 New Yorkers will be traveling to Albany on April 29 to talk about with their legislators as part of our annual Equality & Justice Day.

120,000 more New Yorkers for GENDA

Candace Lider, Troy Area Labor Council Secretary, speaks in support of GENDA at the CDALF annual convention

Last weekend at the Capitol District Area Labor Federation’s annual convention, delegates voted resoundingly to pass a resolution in support of the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA).

GENDA would add gender identity and expression to the list of protected classes in the state’s civil rights law, and would therefore make it illegal to fire someone from their job, kick them out of their home or deny them service in a restaurant (among other things) simply because they are transgender.

The Capitol District Area Labor Federation (CDALF) encompasses five counties in the Albany area and represents 120,000 people working in blue collar and white collar professions, including teachers, civil service employees, bricklayers, firefighters, nurses and plumbers, just to name a few.

Union support for this bill is significant—during the build-up to the Assembly vote on marriage equality last year, unions across New York State representing more than 1 million people passed resolutions detailing their support for the bill. When massive labor federations and big unions like 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East or UNITE HERE actively support our issues, Albany takes notice.

CDALF’s 120,000 members brings the total organized labor support for GENDA to 440,000 working New Yorkers. Stronger together, indeed!