Transgender Advocates Looking Ahead

Now that a bill to make gender identity a protected class has gone into effect; a coalition of organizations are looking at next steps. Governor Sununu signed HB 1319 on June 8th, and to take effect 30 days later, on July 8. The bill updates state law to fully protect transgender people from discrimination on the job, in their homes and in public places like restaurants and retail shops.

Transgender Rights Advocate Gerri Cannon, who is also on the Somersworth School Board and a member of Freedom New Hampshire, says now that HB 1319 has become law, NH's Transgender people can feel safer in their places of employment, their residences and going out to public places. “For employers this is good news,” Cannon says, “Businesses can now consider hiring qualified transgender employees from out of state and know that the employees will find safe communities where they and their families can live.”

According to Freedom NH, advocates had been working for months—and in some cases, years—for transgender rights in the Granite State. In June many gathered at the Statehouse in Concord to celebrate the victory. They gave speeches, sang and added their signatures to a poster-sized copy of the bill, known formally as, “An act prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity.” The poster will hang in the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) New Hampshire offices.

Now the coalition member organizations—ACLU-NH, GLAD, FFAA, Rights & Democracy, PFLAG-NH and Transgender NH—have identified issues to tackle next including; ensuring better health care access for transgender people, making birth certificate gender markers more easily changeable, organizing for more inclusive school board policies, educating the public about transgender issues and improving conditions for transgender inmates.