South Coast LGBTQ Network fights for transgender rights

In honor of National Coming Out Day, the South Coast LGBTQ Network held a phone bank in support of Yes on 3 at Le Place Thursday evening.

NEW BEDFORD — In honor of National Coming Out Day, the South Coast LGBTQ Network held a phone bank in support of Yes on 3 at Le Place Thursday evening.

“As accepting as we are for gay rights right now, our trans family is fighting every day to keep theirs,” said Traci Welch, secretary and events coordinator for the network.

On Nov. 6, Massachusetts voters will decide whether to retain part of a state law that prohibits transgender discrimination in places of public accommodation. In 2016, that provision was added to a law which previously prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, disability and ancestry.

A “place of public accommodation, resort or amusement” is defined in existing law as any place open to the general public, such as hotels, stores, restaurants, theaters, sports facilities and hospitals.

Gender identity is defined by the state “as a person’s sincerely held gender-related identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not it is different from that traditionally associated with the person’s physiology or assigned sex at birth.”

A yes vote on Question 3 would keep the current law as is. A no vote would repeal the transgender provision.

Access to public restrooms has been front and center in the debate. The existing law requires that any public place that has separate areas for males and females, such as restrooms, must allow access to and full use of those areas consistent with a person’s gender identity.

Debby Dugan, chairwoman of Keep MA Safe and No on 3 called the current law flawed, poorly written and said it “opens the door for bad behavior.” She said men with a history of being criminals or sexual predators could take advantage of the law.

“This law allows a person to self identify as whatever gender identity they claim in that moment,” in order to enter a bathroom, dressing room or locker room, Dugan maintained. She said the campaign believes the transgender community is more at risk because of how the law is written.

“You don’t know if people are going in there for an acceptable reason or to do harm to people,” said Dugan, characterizing the opposing effort as grassroots, involving making calls, distributing literature and putting up signs.

For her part, Welch said, “Our trans family want to be safe.” If a transgender person enters a restaurant and someone suspects them to be transgender, they could be kicked out, she explained, if the provision is repealed.

“If we don’t continue to go forward, then what happens if we go backwards,” Welch said.