Advocates are expected to make a new push in the next few weeks for a vote in the Massachusetts Legislature to expand legal protections for transgender individuals. The coalition supporting the measure is expanding.
In a move designed to increase mainstream appeal for the campaign, advocates Monday said the five major professional sports teams in Massachusetts are now backing the measure pending before the legislature. The Boston Red Sox had previously announced support for it and now endorsements have come from the New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins and New England Revolution.
The bill would ban discrimination against transgender people in public accommodations including restaurants and shopping centers. Supporters say the law is needed because transgender people have been asked to leave restaurants and stores.
Danika Ali of Springfield said it has happened to her.
" We want to have public accommodations protections for all our transgender citizens across the Commonwealth," she said. " Massachusetts is lagging and that is not right."
Massachusetts passed a law in 2011 that banned discrimination against transgender people in housing, employment, and lending, but protections applying to public places were left out amid debate over bathroom and locker room privacy. The legislation would allow transgender people to use the public restrooms of the gender they identify with.
Deja Greenlaw, who writes for the “Rainbow Times,” believes public support for transgender rights is growing.
"When Caitlyn Jenner came out it sent transgender ( awareness) right to the top," said Greenlaw. " We are not just a fringe-group and we want our rights."
Advocates lobbied hard for the bill last October and announced support then from about 200 businesses in Massachusetts, but the Legislature did not vote on it before the holiday recess.
It’s believed the advocates need to convince two-thirds of the members of the House and Senate to approve the bill because of a potential veto from Governor Charlie Baker. Baker has said he does not believe it is necessary to extend more legal protections to transgender people.
Amaad Rivera, the president and founder of Springfield Pride, said Massachusetts was a leader in the movement to legalize same-sex marriage, but lags in protecting transgender people from discrimination.
Seventeen states and more than 200 cities have laws or ordinances that bar discrimination against transgender people in public accommodations.
