MA Transgender Equality – H 1728 – we need everyone's help, please

A new poll just released by Lake Research Partners shows that 76% of
likely voters in Massachusetts, including 81% of women, support H 1728
An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate Crimes. These
results prove what we all knew all along; ending harmful discrimination
against the transgender community is a Massachusetts value and ought to
be made a priority of the state legislature.

Now we need your help please. Please tell your Representative to make
this a priority now! Transgender Civil Rights cannot wait any longer.

Right now, An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate
Crimes is being held in the Judiciary Committee, with no set date to be
released for a full vote in the legislature. Please take a moment to
call or  email to your Representative asking them to call on House
Speaker DeLeo to make H 1728 An Act Relative to Gender Based
Discrimination and Hate Crimes a priority this year.

Representatives and their staffs tell us that calls and emails make all
the difference!

- To get your Representative’s phone number go to
http://www.mass.gov/legis/memmenuh.htm

- To find out who your Rep is and their email address go to
http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php and whom
ever is listed for “Rep in General Court” is your rep.

**** some sample text and scripts you might use *****

Here is a sample script you might use when calling:

My name is _____ and I am a proud resident of (your city). I am calling
to ask you as my Representative to contact House Speaker DeLeo ask him
to make H 1728, the transgender rights bill, a priority this year. I can
be reached at _______ (give your phone number). Thank you.

Here is a sample script you might use when emailing:

Dear Rep _____

I am a constituent in your district and I am writing you to ask you
as my Representative to contact House Speaker DeLeo urge him to make
H 1728, An At Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate
Crimes, a priority this year. Transgender rights cannot wait any
longer. Thank you.

Sincerely (your name)

************

Call or write using your legal name if you wish; no one is asking any of
us to out ourselves; but, contacting our government officials is going
to help all of us here in Massachusetts.

Ashley, Paula, Joan C., Michelle, Sally, Dana, June, Gunner, Nancy,
Gordene, Ethan, myself and so many others have done little things here
and there to help move this important legislation along.  With a
little more work from our community we can all see our civil rights
returned to us!

To see Ashley and Sally interviewed by Fox News on this bill and it’s
importance, please click to Fox News here:
http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/071409_Transgender_equity_bill_fuels_fight

To learn about Michelle, Becki and Paula’s experience in the community lobbing our state reps, please click to this article here:
http://beckscafe.com/2009/06/21/trans-civil-rights-lobby-day-roundtable-with-michelle-paula-rebecca/

Thanks to everyone for their support!!