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MFI Employs Scare Tactics in Anti-Trans “Bathroom” Ads
The Massachusetts Family Institute, an affiliate of Focus on the Family, has started airing radio ads employing scare tactics targeting “An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate Crimes.” The blatantly misleading ads, which are airing twice daily on WBZ-AM, describe HB1728 as a bill that will “open up all Massachusetts public restrooms, locker rooms and emergency shelters to anyone, of either sex”. They ask listeners to call members of the Judiciary Committee and demand a ‘no’ vote on the act.
Listen now:
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Ad text:
(child) Mommy, I’ll be right back.
(mother) OK, sweetheart.
(2nd mother) Pretty soon, you won’t want her to go into a bathroom by herself anymore.
(mother) Why?
(2nd mother) Didn’t you know, Beacon Hill is about to make it legal for men to use women’s bathrooms?
(announcer) One hundred and four legislators are co-sponsoring hb1728, The Bathroom Bill, that will open up all Massachusetts public restrooms, locker rooms and emergency shelters to anyone, of either sex. Call the judiciary committee today at 617-722-2396. Tell them to vote NO on HB1728. Visit NoBathroomBill.com.
Paid for by the Massachusetts Family Institute
MTPC Commends Rep. Frank and Federal Lawmakers for ENDA Introduction
Boston, MA – The Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC) applauded lawmakers today for introducing an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) which would protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees from workplace discrimination. The bill, which enjoys bi-partisan support in Congress, would add sexual orientation and gender identity to existing
federal employment non-discrimination laws.
“Transgender people continue to face employment discrimination even in states like Massachusetts and the effect of this type of discrimination not only impacts the transgender individual, but also their family for whom they are trying to provide for” said MTPC’s Executive Director Gunner Scott.
Currently, 12 states and more than 100 localities have LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination protections, covering nearly 40 percent of Americans. And, according to numerous surveys, large majorities of likely voters in the U.S. support federal employment non-discrimination laws to protect LGBT people. Polling data from 2006 shows that voters are more likely to support a candidate who votes for LGBT discrimination laws than they are to vote against.
Here in Massachusetts, there have been many notable instances of discrimination against LGBT employees. For instance, Ethan St. Pierre, a transgender man and a former police officer, was removed from his position in the security staff of Sun Microsystems in 2003 – despite multiple positive performance reviews and raises – because the security manager felt that his gender transition made him no longer
capable of performing the job. “This experience has resulted in financial and personal losses that continue to be devastating to me,” says St. Pierre.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has protected gay, lesbian and bisexual citizens from discrimination based on their sexual orientation since 1989, and the Massachusetts legislature is currently considering a bill to protect transgender citizens from discrimination based on their gender identities and expressions. “An Act Relative To
Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate Crimes” H 1728/S 1687 has been co-sponsored by over a hundred legislators, and will have a hearing before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary on July 14th.
In 2007, the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition coordinated organizing efforts in Massachusetts in support of a gender identity inclusive ENDA as well as sending a number of transgender people to Washington, DC to lobby their legislators. Former MTPC co-chair, Diego Sanchez, now works as a legislative aide to Representative Barney Frank, who introduced both the previous and current versions of ENDA.
MTPC Steering Committee chair Nancy Nangeroni says that employment discrimination is “one of the ways that people who can’t or won’t accept our existence try to exterminate us from their lives. Freedom from employment discrimination is a fundamental right whose denial has cost too many transgender people too much for too long.”
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About MTPC: The Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC) is dedicated to ending discrimination on the basis of gender identity and gender expression. The MTPC works for a world where persons of all genders are treated with respect and fully participate in all areas of society, free from fear of prohibition, harassment or violence based on their gender identity and/or expression. Its members educate the public, advocate with state, local, and federal
government, engage in political activism, and encourage empowerment of community members through collective action.
Photos of transgender people and transgender families needed asap
MTPC and GLAD are putting together a photo collage of transgender people and transgender families for a poster to be used at the State House for the hearing on H 1728/S1687. We need more pictures of trans people and trans families for this poster. If you are comfortable having your photo on this collage board – which may also be photographed by the press, please send hi rez photos to info@masstpc.org by June 30th.
Please state in the email:
“I, ___________ (your full name) give MTPC and GLAD permission to use this photo for purposes advocating for transgender civil rights including public display.
Know Your Rights Workshop
Monday, July 13, 2009
Know Your Rights Workshop
Presented by MTPC and MTLA members
7-8p at MTPC Boston meeting space – 14 Beacon St, MA 02108, 1st floor conference room. Free!
Come learn about your rights on state, local, and federal levels. Want to know what you need to change your identity documents? Or what to do if you are harassed? Join us for this workshop and get your questions answered. More info email info@masstpc.org
An Act of Faith: Western Massachusetts Communities of Faith Speak Out for Transgender Equality
Thursday, June 4, 2009
7:00pm – 9:00pm
Edwards Church, 297 Main St., Northampton, MA
Beit Ahavah, the Edwards Church, the Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality, Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition and many others come together for a Western Massachusetts Interfaith Service for Transgender Rights.
Join us as clergy, lay leaders and members from many faiths and spiritual traditions learn how we can take action to help pass a transgender civil rights bill that would make Massachusetts a more just and safer state for everyone!
For more information, please contact 413-587-3770 or info@beitahavah.org. To learn more about the bill “An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate Crimes,” visit www.masstpc.org/legislation