New York Governor David Paterson is at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York City today to announce and sign an executive order extending anti discrimination protections to transgender state employees.The order applies only to state employees who work under the authority of the executive branch and it does not apply to anyone in the private sector.
A number of cities in New York State, including Buffalo, Albany, Rochester and New York City, already prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression.
There have been several attempts to pass comprehensive legislation to outlaw discrimination based on gender identity called the Gender Expression Non Discrimination Act or GENDA, but so far they have been unsuccessful. GENDA has already passed the New York State Assembly but awaits action in the New York State Senate.
It's a nice first step, but the New York State Senate needs to do the right thing and pass GENDA. Thank you Governor Paterson for doing so.