Gregoire OKs transgender hate-crime protection
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Attacks against transgender people could be prosecuted as hate crimes under a bill signed into law by Gov. Chris Gregoire.
Gregoire signed the measure Wednesday. It takes effect three months after the end of the 2009 legislative session, scheduled to adjourn Sunday.
Under current law, it's a felony to threaten, damage the property of, or physically injure a person because of ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, disability or sexual orientation.
The hate-crime definition of sexual orientation previously covered gay, straight or bisexual people. The bill signed by Gregoire on Wednesday adds "gender expression or identity" to the definition, making the law apply to attacks on transgender people.
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The bill is Senate Bill 5952.
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On the Net:
Legislature: http://www.leg.wa.gov
Governor: http://www.governor.wa.gov
Comments
Seven Times More Likely
I don't know if anyone realizes it or not but T folk are seven times more likely to be murdered than regular folk. I feel pretty safe in Portland, but there are places I just would not go as a T woman; Salem, Oregon and much of Southwestern Oregon is often referred to as Deep Southern O ree gon; just not wise.
These recent cases are landmark cases for us.
Even the recent Miss America exchange was good, because at least there was a civil exchange.
Only One Group More likelky to be Murdered
Only infant girls in societies that value too heavely male descendents are more likely to be murdered than us transgendered.
shalimar
Finally glad they did it,
Finally glad they did it, that law revision had been "tossed around" for almost 7 years that I know of. I know it was being considered 5 years ago when I live in the State. Hopefully, other States will follow suit and add such a provision onto their "hate crimes" laws. They are not costing the state any money in doing this, so it is as the Legislators say on other bills, "revenue neutral". J-Lynn