Paterson to ban discrimination against transgender New York State employees

Boy in Bushwick has learned Gov. David Paterson will sign an executive order tomorrow that will ban discrimination against transgender state employees.

The governor is scheduled to sign the order tomorrow morning at the LGBT Community Center in lower Manhattan. Michael Silverman, executive director of the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, praised the move.

"This executive order will ensure that hard-working transgender employees of New York State can work without fear of discrimination, and provide for themselves and their families," he said. “We applaud [Gov.] Paterson for taking this important step for transgender equal rights.”

Delaware, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania currently ban discrimination against their public employees based gender identity and expression. The federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act remains stalled in Congress, but Dru Levasseur of Lambda Legal told the New York Times he feels the state will once again be at the forefront of what he described as states "that are taking the lead on workplace fairness."

New York State Assembly Passes Marriage Bill

The New York State Assembly handed gay activists the latest in a series of marriage victories late last night after they passed a bill which would allow same-sex couples to marry in the Empire State. Lawmakers endorsed the bill in an 85-to-61 vote. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's sudden announcement he had left the Republican Party pushed this historic vote far onto the back pages [The New York Times buried the story as part of an overall legislative round-up article].

The New York State Court of Appeals stung the Empire State Pride Agenda, Lambda Legal, Marriage Equality New York and other activist organizations [and gay New Yorkers for that matter] last July after it ruled against multiple lawsuits which sought marriage for same-sex couples. The State Senate, led by Republican Joseph Bruno, will almost certainly fail to take up this issue before it leaves for its summer recess at the end of this week. Most activists surely recognize that reality despite their public statements and press releases in praise of the progress last night's vote represents. The Assembly's support, however, remains a historic step forward in New York State which gives activists a definite shot in the arm days before the city's Pride march.