Transgender Civil Rights: A Community Meeting in Lowell

[download meeting flyer, pdf]

Date: Saturday April 28
Time: 1:00 pm
Place: UMass Lowell O'Leary Auditorium (#222)
Address: 61 Wilder Street, Lowell 01854
[ driving maps ] [ campus maps & directions ]

Everyone interested in creating a more safe and mutually respectful society is invited to an open meeting to discuss the state of transgender civil rights in Massachusetts, to be held at the O'Leary Library Auditorium at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell on Saturday, April 28 at 1pm. This meeting, sponsored by the North Shore Transgender Alliance (NSTA), the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC), the Gender Studies Program at UMass Lowell, and the Women's Studies Program at Merrimack College, is one of a series organized by MTPC in support of new legislation that would add "gender identity or expression" to the list of specific non-discrimination and hate crimes protections.

Issues of discrimination on the basis of gender identity and gender expression affect everyone, not just transgender and gender-variant people. The newly pending statewide legislation, HB 1722, holds the promise of a more level playing field for all people, regardless of their gender. The meeting will include a presentation and discussion on the current state of transgender civil rights and the specifics of this new legislation. Also included will be a session on how to advocate with policymakers and politicians, ways to support the transgender civil rights movement, and everyday things you can do to end discrimination.

HB 1722, "An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate Crimes" is co-sponsored in the House by 23 representatives led by Rep. Carl Sciortino and Rep. Byron Rushing, while Senator Jarrett Barrios leads the Senate effort. The bill adds "gender expression or identity" to existing statutes providing protection against discrimination in employment, housing and education. It also adds the same wording to the Massachusetts Hate Crimes statutes.

Attendees will enjoy light refreshments courtesy of the Gender Studies Program at UML and the Women's Studies Program at Merrimack. Materials describing the legislation, its scope and intent, and providing instruction to those wishing to help advocate for its passage, will be provided. For more information about the meeting, please visit www.masstpc.org/meeting/lowell or call the organizers Rev. Laurie Auffant at 978-453-1149 or Nancy Nangeroni at 978-969-2346.

To learn more about this legislative initiative, please use the menu to the left.