Clergy supports transgender rights bill

BOSTON (WWLP) - Leaders from different religious organizations are planting their support behind a bill that would expand rights to bisexual and transgender youth and people of diverse gender identities or expressions.

Members of the Interfaith Coalition for Transgender Equality (ICTE) put on a united front against discrimination as part of "Transgender Faith Action Week."

"We are all human beings created in the image of God, whatever our gender identity is," Rabbi Joseph Berman of Temple B’Nai Israel said.

They are asking lawmakers to pass "An Act Relative to Transgender Equal Rights" (H502), which in addition to protecting gays and lesbians, would prevent discrimination against people who identify themselves as either bisexual or transgender.

"They don't explicitly cover gender identity or expression. So as someone who is a man but hasn't always had identification that backed that up, there was no legal recourse when people would deny me public accommodations or housing strictly on the basis of that discrepancy," said Sean Delmore, Assistant Minister of the College Avenue United Methodist Church.

Last session, the bill had a majority of the House's support but the bill was never moved out of committee.

"It's frustrating that it's actually been three years since this law was initially proposed and there was a ton of support for it last year, and I think there's still a lot of support. It's not fair for it to be hung up," said Dr. Cameron Partridge, interim Episcopal Chaplain at Harvard University.

The bill still has a great number of cosponsors, including eight legislators from Western Massachusetts.