The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston, along with a broad coalition of advocacy organizations, business leaders, and the entire Massachusetts Congressional delegation urges the Massachusetts House and Senate to extend non-discrimination protections in public places to individuals of all gender identities before the Legislature leaves for winter recess on November 19th.

“Massachusetts has a proud history of leading the nation when it comes to extending civil rights protections, in particular for the LGBT community,” said Jeremy Burton, Executive Director, JCRC. “Every day we wait, transgender people face discrimination and humiliation in places of public accommodation. This should not be the case for anyone in the Commonwealth. ”

“In 2011, we worked with the Massachusetts Legislature to explicitly prohibit gender identity-based employment discrimination,” said Adam Suttin, President of the Board, JCRC. “We call on them now to extend those protections to include restaurants, stores and public restrooms.”