May 2, 2008
NO PRIDE AGENDA WITHOUT GENDA
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What do we want? GENDA! |
The chilly weather in Albany didn't stop more than 1,000 LGBT people their allies from attending the Empire State Pride Agenda’s Equality and Justice Day Tuesday for a whirlwind of rallies, workshops and lobbying. The activists were in the state capitol to demand passage of the Gender Identity Non-Discrimination Act (A.6584/S.3753), the Marriage and Same Sex Couples in New York Act (A.8590/S.5884), and the Dignity for All Students Act (A.3496/S.1571).
GENDA—the only one of the three bills that has yet to pass in the Assembly—would protect all people on the basis of gender identity from discrimination in health care, housing employment and public accommodations. The legislation has more than 70 sponsors in the Assembly, but Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has blocked it from coming to the floor for a vote. On Wednesday the Assembly Government Operations committee votes 7-2 in support of the bill. The only dissenters were Assemblymen Jack Quinn and Joseph Saladino. Saladino argued he doesn’t want children in his district to have a "transsexual teacher" and that "our society isn’t ready for that." Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples responded, "It's a shame we have to be debating human rights here. I don't understand why it needs discussion." The bill is now heading to the Codes Committee.
No one expects the Republican-controlled Senate to consider the bill until the Assembly passes it.
"The problem is one person in the Assembly," said New York Transgender Rights Organization state director Joann Prinzivalli. "Unfortunately, unless the members fight to tell the Speaker to bring GENDA to a vote, it won't move." Prinzivalli and others say that Sheldon has refused to let members vote on the legislation in order to protect “marginal" members whose reelection bids could be damaged by their support for GENDA.
All day long during their constituent visits, LGBT folks asked their Assembly members not just to cosponsor GENDA but to actively persuade the Speaker to pass the bill. "Maybe ten years ago it would have enough for them to sponsor our bills," said ESPA executive director Alan Van Capellle at a rally outside the Capitol. "But now we need to ask 'What are you going to do to make sure that bill gets to the floor?'"
Silver spokesperson Dan Weiller couldn't comment on Silver's position on GENDA or if the Speaker will bring it for a vote. However, he did tell the Update that "we had a positive meeting with the Empire State Pride Agenda on Tuesday."
Speaking up
Sean Johnston lives in Rochester and recently transitioned to from female to male. "I wasn't involved in GENDA advocacy before, but now it's personal," Johnston told the Update before heading off to lobby GENDA supporter Assemblywoman Susan John, as well as Senator John Robach, a Republican who was not yet a cosponsor. "I hope to change his mind," Johnston said.
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Jeffries (second to left) and some of the Housing Works crew |
At a packed meeting with Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries—a Brooklyn Democrat who cosponsored all three of the LGBT bills on the day’s agenda—Housing Works client Matthew Gordon asked, "How will you make sure Silver brings GENDA to a vote?"
Jeffries responded, "There's no reason Silver should be holding it up, but some members are reluctant to take a tough vote on a one-house bill knowing that the Republican-controlled Senate won't bring it to a vote," he said. "But I believe we should be taking a stand anyway."
Djia Xi, a transgender Housing Works client told Jeffries, "The lack of equal protection is holding us back from contributing fully to society. No one can under the abuse we all suffer just to go out in public. The law wouldn't make any suffering go away, but it would provide us protection."
Jeffries agreed. "When you're talking to large parts of the country, that's an important issue to bring up. I happen to think it's a moral argument but others are more persuaded by economic arguments."
Xi was impressed by Jeffries. At the Afternoon Report Back, where advocates gathered to note lobbying successes and failures, Xi was the first hand up. "I think Assemblyman Jeffries should become [U.S.] Senator Jeffries," Xi said.
Assemblyman Danny O'Donnell and Sen. Tom Duane also addressed the crowd. "If we had the Dignity for All Students Act when I was in school, I probably would have gotten straight A's," Duane said, prompting laughter. “But seriously, it would have meant a lot if I could have gone to school without being worried about being picked on because of what I knew was different about me." The Dignity for All Students Act would "establish policies and procedures affording all students in public schools an environment free of harassment and discrimination based on actual or perceived race, national origin, ethnic group, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex."
Hating on hate crimes?
Transgender issues were well-represented all day, including a Transgender Caucus and a Transgender 101 training, led by activist Donna Rose. Housing Works had a strong presence at these events, having sent some 50 mostly transgender people up on a bus from New York.
Talk of the inclusion of gender identity in the state’s hate crime statute was notably absent at the day’s trans events. Last week, a controversy broke out about the inequities of hate crime laws at a community forum. GENDA would add gender identity and expression to hate crimes protections. "There are people for hate crimes, and people against it, but when we come to Albany we can present a united front to get GENDA passed," Housing Works case manager Lourdes Hunter said.
Prinzivalli was blunter. "It's a good idea to support GENDA even if you are philosophically opposed to hate crimes," she told the 75 people at the opening caucus. “You can work with the nice conservative Republicans to repeal the hate crimes law altogether."