Governor Paterson To Sign Executive Order Prohibiting Discrimination in State Employment on the Basis of Gender Identity
Dear friends:

Well, you just can't keep a good story down. Today, the New York Times broke the story about Governor David Paterson's policy announcement affecting transgender New Yorkers. Tomorrow, Governor Paterson will sign an executive order prohibiting discrimination in state employment on the basis of gender identity. New York will become the seventh state in the nation to offer public employees such protection. We've included more information in our press statement below, which we issued after the Times broke the story.

We're sorry if this message seems less polished than our ordinary communications, but we wanted to get this news out to our friends and supporters as quickly as possible. We'll have more information on our web site later today, and will post a copy of the Governor's Order, as well as pictures and video from the signing ceremony, on our web site tomorrow.

Please come to the Center tomorrow at 10:30 (doors open at 10) to thank the Governor for taking this bold step on behalf of transgender equal rights. You can get more information about tomorrow's event here.

We're grateful to our friends and allies who have helped make this day possible. And we extend our heartfelt thanks to Governor David Paterson, who has proven himself to be a champion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equal rights.

We hope you enjoy this news.

Best wishes,

Michael Silverman
Executive Director
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2009

Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund Hails Governor Paterson's Signing Tomorrow of Executive Order Barring Discrimination Against Transgender State Employees

New York State To Become Seventh State to Offer Job Protections to Transgender Public Employees

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) hails New York State Gov. David A. Paterson's planned signing tomorrow of an executive order barring discrimination against transgender state employees. New York will become the seventh state to protect public employees from discrimination based on gender identity or expression, after Delaware, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

"Like everyone else, transgender employees deserve to be judged on their ability to do the job, and not on who they are," TLDEF executive director Michael Silverman said. "This executive order will ensure that hard-working transgender employees of New York State can work without fear of discrimination, and provide for themselves and their families," he added. “We applaud Governor Paterson for taking this important step for transgender equal rights.”

Transgender people face tremendous discrimination in the workplace. Forty-seven percent of transgender people report being fired, or denied a job or promotion just because of who they are. In one recent Florida case, 17-year-old Zikerria Bellamy was denied a job at a McDonald's restaurant because she is transgender. Miss Bellamy applied online for the job, but after managers learned that she is transgender, she received a voicemail message from one of the them telling her, "You will not get hired. We do not hire fa**ots." TLDEF filed a complaint on Miss Bellamy's behalf on Dec. 7.

Few protections exist for transgender people who experience employment discrimination. In 38 states, there is no law protecting people from being fired because they are transgender. In New York, while a number of municipalities protect transgender workers from on-the-job discrimination, there is no statewide law offering such protection. The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, which would add gender identity and expression to the state's non-discrimination law, has been repeatedly introduced and passed by the state Assembly, but it has never been passed by the state Senate.

Federal law similarly offers no job protection for transgender people. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would address discrimination in the workplace by making it illegal to fire, refuse to hire, or refuse to promote an employee based on the person's gender identity or sexual orientation. ENDA has been stalled in the House of Representatives despite demands by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans that Congress take swift action to pass the legislation.

"We applaud Gov. Paterson for recognizing that transgender New Yorkers should have the chance to earn a living and provide for their families without being refused a job or fired for reasons that have nothing to do with their ability to do the job," Silverman added.
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