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“A dream you dream alone is only a dream; a dream you dream together is reality.” — Yoko Ono
May
20
New York Statewide GENDA Call-In Day
Filed Under LGBTQ, action alert, activism, bigotry, discrimination, gender, legislation, trans, transphobia and trans misogyny, work | Posted by Cara |
CALLING ALL NEW YORK STATE RESIDENTS!
You may have heard a whole lot about the marriage equality bill currently awaiting a vote by the state Senate. What you have likely heard significantly less about is GENDA, the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (pdf). GENDA would provide anti-discrimination protections on the basis of gender identity and expression in areas of housing, employment, and much more. The legal right to not be discriminated against is something that transgender New Yorkers currently live without.
Today, Wednesday May 20, is the statewide call-in day to help get GENDA passed! GENDA passed through the Assembly back in April (before the marriage equality bill). But now it’s still awaiting a Senate vote. This legislative session is ending shortly, so it’s absolutely vital that the bill be brought to a vote now.
Details on making your call(s) from the NY State Pride Agenda:
We need you to get on the phone and call the lead Senate sponsor Tom Duane and your Senator to tell them that you want them to bring GENDA to the Senate floor and pass it. We’re in the final stretch and it is vital that they hear from you.
With more than half of the Senators indicating their support for GENDA, we know that we have enough votes to get it passed in the Senate if it comes to the floor for a vote. So now is the time to call Senator Duane and your State Senator!
Talking Points:
Reach Tom Duane at (518) 455-2451 and find your Senator’s Albany phone number here. Call their offices on Wednesday to tell them that the time is now to end discrimination against transgender New Yorkers.
Remember to give them the number of the GENDA bill (S.2406).
Ask your Senator to vote for GENDA, and ask lead Senate Sponsor Tom Duane to bring the bill to the floor for a vote now.
Tell them about the broad support for GENDA statewide, including:
- 78% of New York voters
- Unions representing 2.1 million working New Yorkers
- 27 Fortune 500 companies based in cities like Rochester, Corning, New York City and White Plains.
- 344 clergy and lay leaders, representing over 20 different denominations
Working together, we can make this happen! Start making those phone calls now!
It sounds like Duane’s phone may be ringing off the hook, but calling your own senator (assuming it’s not Duane) should only take you a moment or two.
If you’re still wondering what to say, something along the lines of “I’m a constituent of Senator X, and calling to ask him/her to vote for GENDA, which is S.2406. GENDA would protect New Yorkers from discrimination on the basis of gender identity and has the support of 78% of New York voters” should be more than sufficient.
So get calling, and tell your like-minded friends and family, because every call is going to count.
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“Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less.” — Susan B. Anthony
Done and done. My (Republican) Senator has received at least one message of support for this bill.
Looks like I’m reading this way too late.
[...] Statewide GENDA Call-In Day : The Curvature says: May 20th, 2009 at 9:24 am – Edit [...]