Vermont: Transgender bill gets governor's signature

By Lauren Ober
Free Press Staff Writer

May 25, 2007
After years of lobbying, the state's transgender population has won the battle for protection against discrimination

Tuesday, Gov. Jim Douglas signed a bill into law that prohibits discrimination based on a person's gender identity or gender-related characteristics.

At this time last year, the governor vetoed a similar bill that had widespread support in both legislative chambers, a fact that did not go unnoticed by the crowd gathered outside of R.U.1.2? Queer Community Center on Thursday to celebrate.

The bill, which passed through the Legislature on May 3, protects transgender Vermonters from discrimination in banking, employment, education, health care, housing and public accommodations, and provides them some legal recourse if they are discriminated against.

R.U.1.2? Executive Director Kara DeLeonardis said the law goes a long way toward providing equal rights for transgendered people.

"This is going to make such a big difference in people's lives," DeLeonardis said. "It's just a great feeling to finally have these important legal protections for transgender people that everyone else takes for granted."

Kelly Brigham considered herself transgender based on her gender expression. While Brigham says she has no plans to transition to a man, she doesn't dress traditionally like a woman and because of that she's been discriminated against. She said the law will help protect her gender expression.

"It also makes gender more fluid," Brigham said.

Up to this point, DeLeonardis said, the transgender community has been left behind regarding legal protections in Vermont. Although the gay community was afforded civil unions and the rights and protections associated with them, the transgender community had little in the way of protection from discrimination.

Not only does the law protect transgendered or gender-variant people from discrimination, it also helps educate the general population, said Jes Kraus, a transgender activist with Vermont TransAction. . . .

New initiatives seek jobs for trans people

Sparked by crackdown on trans prostitutes, activists seek ways to find legal employment

By DYANA BAGBY
May. 25, 2007

Transgender prostitutes working the streets of Midtown have drawn the ire of numerous residents tired of seeing them in their neighborhoods.

Two proposed initiatives — one by queer and trans activists and another by the Atlanta Police Department — hope to quell that resentment by helping the sex workers find legitimate jobs.

The Queer Progressive Agenda and transgender activists and allies are starting a Transgender People of Color Workers Project. The project seeks to join forces with gay business organizations to find employers willing to hire transgender employees as well as offer job training, tips on writing a resume and help with interview strategies. The project is also compiling a database of available jobs.

And the Atlanta Police Department is slated to hold a job fair later this year specifically for transgender people and bring in employers who won’t discriminate against a person based on gender identity.

Both initiatives were sparked by a crackdown by the APD approximately a year ago. Working with the Midtown Neighborhood Association, officers worked to reduce sex workers in the area, including many trans women.

APD Officer Darlene Harris, the gay liaison for the department, said she became frustrated seeing members of the community — including gay people — stigmatize transgender sex workers, but she also understood residents wanting to keep their neighborhoods safe.

The sex workers “weren’t going anywhere because of discrimination they faced trying to find jobs, so we thought it would be great to get employers together and help them so they don’t feel the need to be on the street,” Harris said.

As far as any recent police stings on transgender sex workers, Harris said this week she has not heard of any reports for some time.

“It’s been pretty quiet on that front,” she said. . . .