Syracuse passes trangender protections

JoeMyGod points to some great news today from central New York.

The New York Civil Liberties Union today applauded the Syracuse Common Council’s passage of legislation amending local civil rights law to protect transgender and gender non-conforming residents from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations, such as restaurants, hotels and stores. In an 7 to 1 vote, the Common Council approved a bill to amend the Syracuse Fair Practices Law to include gender identity and expression as protected categories. With the passage of this legislation, every large city in New York State has enacted basic civil rights protections for transgender and gender non-conforming residents and visitors. Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, Binghamton, Ithaca, New York City as well as Westchester, Suffolk, and Tompkins counties have similar local anti-discrimination laws.

The NYCLU notes that a statewide transgender rights bill has long been thwarted by the New York Senate. They believe that today's news from Syracuse may provide "additional momentum" for GENDA.

I went to college at Syracuse University in the early 1980s.  It's a great part of NY state.  Although the winters are tough, the rest of the year is beautiful.  And the residents are fab.  As we can clearly see from today's news.