Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Unjust Trans Rights Bill Advancing In Massachusetts?

The trans rights bill that has been languishing in Massachusetts for six years is advancing toward a critical debate, and unfortunately I'm not happy about that.

Because like the unjust Maryland civil rights abomination that thankfully died earlier this year, the Massachusetts trans rights bill doesn't cover public accommodations.

So why am I calling it an unjust bill?   Time for me to call on a gentleman that earned his doctorate in the Bay State.  Take it away Dr. King

"A just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself."
"To put it in the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust."

Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 'Letter From Birmingham City Jail, 1963

The redrafted unjust bill includes transgender persons as a "protected class" in the state’s hate crime laws, prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity in jobs, housing, insurance, mortgage loans, and credit.

So where's the 'public accommodations' language? 

Gunner Scott and MTPC, seriously?   No public accommodations language in light of the Maryland McBeatdown that Chrissy Lee Polis took and Teonna Brown is doing jail time for that painfully points out why public accommodations language in any trans rights bills is essential?   That's civil rights malpractice.

Massachusetts transpeople, ask your legislators two questions: 

Would they be willing to live with a civil rights bill that didn't cover public accommodations?  
Would they amend civil rights bills that cover them to take public accommodations language out of them? 

If their answer is no to both questions, then ask them why if those laws are not appropriate for them, why should transpeople, who have already been waiting six years too damn long for human rights coverage, should be satisfied with a law they as cispeople wouldn't accept or want to live by?


When will you white trans activists get it through your thick fracking heads that taking public accommodations out of a civil rights bill or settling so you can get a legislative win is NEVER a fracking option

I know it's a pain in the rear to get comprehensive trans rights laws passed in the first place.  That's why it's even more important you get it right the first time and don't do it half assed.  

And once again who will pay for your lack of civil rights vision?   The people who will pay for your caving to the MassReistance bigots and their 'Bathroom Bill propaganda to create an unjust law for transpeople will be the POC and low income transpeople in Massachusetts.





No comments: