NY issues new protections for transgender people

New York has become the 20th state to protect transgender people from harassment and discrimination. 

N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo introduced state-wide regulations Thursday to prohibit public and private employers, housing providers, businesses and creditors from harassing and/or discriminating against someone on the basis of their gender identity, transgender status or gender dysphoria.

The Transgender Law Center said 19 states have similar protections, but New York is the first state to issue regulations through its executive authority under the state’s Human Rights Law to protect transgender people.

“As we’ve painfully witnessed again and again this year, transgender people face epidemic rates of violence, harassment, and discrimination in this country,” Kris Hayashi, the center’s executive director, said in a news release. “Explicit protections based on gender identity and expression, like those New York is adopting and which 19 other states have in place, are a critical part of creating a society where all people can survive and thrive.”

Individuals who feel they have been harassed or discriminated against in New York can file complaints in state court or with the N.Y. State Division of Human Rights. Anyone found guilty of willful or malicious discrimination could face $50,000 to $100,000 in fines and penalties. 

In July, Democrats in the House and Senate introduced the Equality Act, a sweeping civil rights bill to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill has yet to gain a single Republican co-sponsor.