“Setting the stage for the first-ever statewide referendum in the U.S. on a transgender rights law, opponents collected enough signatures to place a repeal question on the Nov. 6 ballot. Transgender rights supporters worry — and opponents of the laws hope — that if the repeal passes in Massachusetts, the first state to legalize gay marriage and among the most LGBT-friendly, it could unleash a cascade of similar efforts elsewhere.
“For this to happen in Massachusetts, where we have this reputation of being an inclusive state dedicated for equality and dignity for all people, to see what happens on this (question) is really going to be an important moment for transgender rights nationally,” said Mason Dunn, executive director of the Massachusetts Trans Political Coalition.
Though referred to derisively by opponents as “the bathroom bill,” supporters note the law more widely prohibits discrimination against transgender people in public accommodations, including restaurants, parks and entertainment venues. A prior state law outlawed bias in employment and housing.
“It’s not the transgenders that we’re concerned about, it’s the men who are using it and are claiming to be transgender,” said Jay McMahon, the Republican nominee for attorney general, in a recent debate.
The law, though, already allows for the prosecution of any person “whose assertion of a gender identity is for an improper purpose.”
The Associated Press requested records from the state attorney general’s office and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, which turned up only a handful of complaints directly related to the 2-year-old law, and none alleging predation in bathrooms or locker rooms.
Public opinion polls in recent months show voters leaning toward keeping the law, with some showing wider margins than others. But supporters warn against overconfidence.
One area of concern is potential confusion over the wording of the question. A yes vote is for keeping the law; a no vote is for repeal. In contrast, voters in 2014 were told to vote yes if they wanted to repeal the state’s casino gambling law; the noes won.”
If you live in Massachusetts, #VoteYesOn3 on November 6th!
Transgender Rights Lie in the Hands of a State’s Electorate
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valar apologist 