New York Gay Rights Bill in Trouble over excluding transgenders

NY Gay Rights Bill In Trouble Over Excluding Transgenders
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: November 27, 2002
5:55 p.m. ET/+5GMT/-3PT
(Albany, New York) Legislation to give New York gays and lesbians civil rights protections may not be passed this session after all.

The Senate is to be recalled December 17 to consider the bill, a concession made by Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno in order to get a coveted endorsement for Gov. Pataki in the November election.

The bill would protect gays and lesbians in the areas of employment, education, housing and public accommodations.

But, opposition from transgendered groups may force the bill to be rewritten. As it now stands, the Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Act, (SONDA) does not mention the transgendered. TG activists say the legislation needs to be amended to protect some of the state's most marginalized residents: Transsexuals, cross-dressers and effeminate men.

"Right now, SONDA protects one class of folks and leaves out another class that arguably needs more protection," said Michael Kink, legislative counsel of Housing Works Inc., an AIDS advocacy group that is running radio ads in the Capitol Region calling for a transgender amendment.

Senate Minority Leader David Paterson, D-Manhattan says he might not support SONDA without an amendment.

"I don't want to see anyone get left out," Paterson said. "I support (SONDA), and I'm for passing it. But how long would it take to get something to protect these citizens?" Bruno has repeatedly said he has no intention of allowing an amended bill sponsored by Sen. Thomas Duane, D-Manhattan, to come up for a vote, arguing that transgender people are either protected under the existing state Human Rights Law or will be covered by SONDA.

The transgender community and lawmakers agree if enough of the 25 Senate Democrats follow Paterson's lead, SONDA cannot pass, because there isn't adequate support among the 37 Republicans alone to pass the bill.

The Democratic-controlled Assembly passed SONDA last February.