California Governor Jerry Brown on
Monday announced that he had signed into law a transgender
protections bill.
The Gender Nondiscrimination Act (AB
887) takes existing protections based on gender identity and
expression and enumerates them as protected categories in
non-discrimination laws.
“Californians support fair and equal
treatment for everyone, but many employers, landlords and transgender
people themselves are unaware that the law protects transgender
people,” Assemblywoman Toni Atkins, a Democrat from San Diego, said
in sponsoring the bill. “As a result, transgender people
experience housing and employment discrimination and often are not
even aware they have any recourse. AB 887 will strengthen our
state's anti-discrimination laws and move us closer to equality for
every Californian.”
The law also makes it clear that gender
identity and expression are included in the definition of gender and
sex in all California codes.
Brown also signed into law The Vital
Statistics Modernization Act (AB 433), sponsored by Assemblywoman
Bonnie Lowenthal, a Democrat from Long Beach.
Lowenthal's legislation makes it easier
for a transgender person to get a legal gender change by streamlining
current law.
“It's a big day for transgender folks
in California!” Masen Davis, executive director of the Transgender
Law Center, said in a statement. “Our victory is a testament that
California is at its best when we work together to realize the ideal
that everyone should be treated fairly and equally. The barriers
that transgender people face are life threatening and we applaud
Governor Brown, Assemblymember Atkins and Assemblymember Lowenthal
for their tremendous leadership to remove some of the obstacles that
prevent transgender Californians from living as our authentic
selves.”
(Related: Jerry
Brown signs anti-gay bullying bill named after Seth Walsh.)