SACRAMENTO – Gov. Jerry Brown has signed two transgender rights bills into law. The Gender Nondiscrimination Act makes “gender identity and expression” its own protected category at work, at school, in housing, at public accommodations and in other settings.
The Vital Statistics Modernization Act, makes it easier for transgender people to get a court-ordered gender change and updated birth certificate.
Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) who introduced the Gender Nondiscrimination Act said, “Californians support fair and equal treatment for everyone, but many employers, landlords and transgender people themselves are unaware that the law protects transgender people. As a result, transgender people experience housing and employment discrimination and often are not even aware they have any recourse. This Act will strengthen our state’s anti-discrimination laws and move us closer to equality for every Californian.”
Masen Davis, executive director of The Transgender Law Center, which had advocated both bills for this session 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.”
Emphasizing that some of the barriers transgender people face are life-threatening, Davis applauded Gov. Brown, Assemblywoman Atkins and Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) for their tremendous leadership to remove some of the obstacles that prevent transgender Californians from living as our authentic selves.”
