Massachusetts' Transgender Equal Rights Bill Takes Effect

[Dalton Fury]

Having been hailed as "a much needed update," Massachusetts' new anti-discrimination law protecting transgender residents has arrived.

As the Associated Press is reporting, the Transgender Equal Rights Bill took effect July 1, about seven months after Gov. Deval Patrick signed it into law. The bill bars discrimination in employment, housing, education, and lending, while also enables prosecutors to bring hate crime charges in attacks that target someone for being transgender, according to the Boston Globe.

Massachusetts' Transgender Equal Rights Bill Takes Effect

[Sikeliot]

Good! Gender identity is a personal matter, and should be protected just like race, sexual orientation, etc.

[The Lawspeaker]

Sickening. Just absolutely disgusting.

[Sikeliot]

Sickening. Just absolutely disgusting.

I don't mean this as anything like an attack, but do you mean then that you believe transgenders should not be protected by law from discrimination?

[The Lawspeaker]

I don't mean this as anything like an attack, but do you mean then that you believe transgenders should not be protected by law from discrimination?

No. It's a mental illness so if anything those people should be taken into a mental hospital.

[Dalton Fury]

Sickening. Just absolutely disgusting.

We are all equal in the eyes of Yahweh

No. It's a mental illness so if anything those people should be taken into a mental hospital.

I will pray to Yahweh for you. Shalom aleichem

[The Lawspeaker]

We are all equal in the eyes of Yahweh

To hell with him then.

[Baltic_Pagan]

I don't think homosexuality should be socially acceptable but I'm hesitant to use the State to enforce my personal beliefs. And I don't like discrimination.

[arcticwolf]

I am torn on this, the first gut reaction is yeah sure another bunch of freaks want special rights. But then I know too much about the mind, and having great interest in forensic science I've see some cases of violence against these people and I've seen their mindset. There maybe some fakes but these people truly believe they are the gender they identify with and they act it, and I don't mean they play a role, they truly mentally are the gender they identify with. There is a lot more to it than it seems on the surface. For everybody's sake I support these people to have their operations and going on with their life, it's in everybody's best interest. I don't think they need special rights though. This is a lot more complicated than it appears. I do not hate them, or think less of them, I have compassion for them, I can't even imagine how hard it has to be to believe one is trapped in the wrong body. As a Buddhist I think I know what's going on, but you guys wouldn't understand it.

[Osprey]

Outlawing is a bit harsh, but encouragement is certainly not required. It may seem normal but it is not normal.