Multi-state effort supports transgender protections

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson leads a group of 12 states and the District of Columbia in effort to protect transgender rights. Official photo.

Following the May 13 letter from the federal Departments of Justice and Education outlining the civil rights of transgender students, two groups of states, headed by Texas and Nebraska, have filed lawsuits asking courts to issue an injunction blocking the guidelines.

The state of Washington, with the support of 11 other states and the District of Columbia, have filed an “amicus” brief in the Texas led case, saying that the case is really an attempt to deny transgender  persons their civil rights.

Washington Attorney General, Bob Ferguson, who leads the group of states, said in a statement that, “Texas’s lawsuit is just another unacceptable example of the discrimination transgender individuals experience. While Texas and other states hide behind unfounded safety concerns, this case is really an attempt to deny the civil rights of our transgender friends, coworkers and family members.”

The group of states argues that transgender individuals experience discrimination at work, school and in public, causing them economic, emotional and health consequences. Protecting the civil rights of transgender individuals is thus important to all members of the public.

Nearly 20 states, including Washington, offer explicit civil rights protections for transgender people, the brief points out, either through definitions of sex discrimination or by prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity, said Ferguson’s statement.

“None of these states has seen a rise in sexual violence or any other public safety issues as a result of these nondiscrimination laws, according to The National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women. The organization represents more than 200 rape crisis centers, shelters and other service providers in 43 states.

Texas also argues that complying with the rules would present an economic burden to the states because of potential new construction, a notion that Ferguson’s brief refutes. States like Washington have found many ways to avoid gender identity discrimination without incurring construction costs, he says.

“Ultimately,” Ferguson asserts, “the arguments against allowing transgender people access to bathrooms according to their gender identity are rooted in negative attitudes and misplaced fear about transgender people, not fact or law.”

Joining Washington in the brief are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont and the District of Columbia.

The Gayly – July 29, 2016 @ 4:10 p.m.