From the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force:

Massachusetts Residents:

Send a Message to Senator Kennedy About Trans-Inclusion!

Senator Ted Kennedy is a longtime supporter of the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Massachusetts and around the country. His vision and leadership have been crucial in advancing the fight for the rights of LGBT Americans.

In the past several years, Senator Kennedy has been a strong champion of the federal hate crimes bill, known as the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (LLEEA). In cases of hate-motivated violence the bill allows federal prosecutors and the FBI to give technical assistance and grants to local law enforcement authorities and allows federal prosecutors to prosecute hate crimes when state/local authorities are not doing so. However, the bill does not have clear language to cover anti-transgender hate crimes.

Senator Kennedy must hear from Massachusetts residents that the LGBT community and our allies strongly support adding clear transgender protections to the bill before reintroduction. The statistics on anti-transgender hate violence are stunning. According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, the number of reported transgender hate crimes victims rose consistently between 1999 and 2003 (from 170 in 1999 to 247 in 2003). Many transgender people experience or fear violence on a daily basis.

Please take a moment and send a FREE FAX to Senator Kennedy and ask him to add “gender identity or expression” to the language of the bill so that it explicitly covers transgender people. Just visit: http://ga4.org/ct/idzGfJY1ImwJ/ and fill in your information!

Unfortunately, transgender people are the most vulnerable part of the LGBT community to hate crimes. We must insist that transgender inclusion be clear in the bill. We must stand together until the violence and discrimination against all of us ends.

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