Massachusetts Governor Patrick Quietly Issues Executive Order Banning Discrimination Against Transgender State Government Employees

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick today quietly issued an executive order banning discrimination against transgender workers in state government, a move that advocates view as a first step toward passing state-wide legislation, according to a report by the Boston Globe. Patrick signed the order in a private ceremony in his office that was attended by advocates and several transgender state employees. He did not list the event on his public schedule or send out a press release about the executive order. The order adds “gender expression and identity” to the state’s official rules banning discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, and other characteristics, was commended by advocates, including Diane DeLap, a transgender worker in the state’s Division of Workforce Development, who attended today's ceremony, and who said the bill “opens up to the community the fact that transgender people need to be hired and treated properly.” Advocates have been pushing the state to pass a similar measure in the Legislature that would ban discrimination against transgender workers in housing, public accommodations, and private sector workplaces. Opponents have condemned the measure, referring to it as “the bathroom bill,” asserting it would allow the sexes to commingle in public bathrooms. Proponents have said that label is offensive, and the measure would not sanction co-ed bathrooms.