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Signs Transgender Protection into Law
Aldermen agreed with supporters of the amendment. "I was proud to be a sponsor of this ordinance because it will give protection to the transgender community and I hope this will serve as a model for the rest of the country." said co-sponsor Alderman Eugene C. Schulter. Chicago becomes the 51st jurisdiction to pass laws prohibiting gender identity-based discrimination and the twelfth in 2002. Other major cities joining the transgender non-discrimination movement this year include New York City, Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston, Buffalo, and Tacoma Washington. Chicago is the sixth city in Illinois to prohibit gender identity discrimination, following Champaign, Urbana, Evanston, DeKalb and Decatur. The gender-identity amendment -- which is defined as "the actual or perceived appearance, expression, identity, or behavior of a person as being male or female, whether or not that appearance, expression, identity or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person's designated sex at birth" -- was first introduced two years ago. Now its supporters' perseverance has finally been rewarded. Co-sponsor Alderman Mary Ann Smith put it simply "I am sorry it took so long." The mayor's signing capped a long and sometimes frustrating civil rights lobbying effort by several groups, including the Advisory Council Gay and Lesbian Issues, Equality Illinois, the Office of LGBT Health, and Illinois Gender Advocates. Following the mayor's enactment of the amendment, Miranda-Stevens Miller of Illinois Gender Advocates said, "I am so grateful to those who helped in the passage of this ordinance, and we are all glad to put this phase of our struggle behind us." "I am gratified the legislative process has corrected a serious wrong," said NTAC member Elena Vogt, a transgendered resident of the city. "Truly Chicago is the city that works!" Transgender activists and allies recognize that, with only 11.9 percent of citizens counted by the 2000 census enjoying gender identity protection, there is more to be done. As Stevens-Miller says, "I am looking toward the future now. There is much more work to do before we can rest assured that our cities are safe for all regardless of gender." |
Mayor Richard M. Daley's signature protects transgendered and gender variant individuals in Chicago