Question 3: Defending Human Rights This November.

All eyes will be watching Massachusetts on November 6 as voters become the first in the nation to take part in a statewide vote for transgender people’s protection under the law. The vote will either repeal or maintain the current state law (Bill S.2407) that protects transgender residents from discrimination in public places, such as restaurants, doctor’s offices, and restrooms. Regardless of the outcome, the results of this vote will have effects that echo across the country.

How did we get here?

Soon after the transgender anti-discrimination law passed with a supermajority vote in both chambers of the Massachusetts state legislator in July 2016, those who opposed the bill gathered enough signatures needed to bring it to the November 2018 ballot for repeal. The organization leading the opposition is Keep MA Safe. This organization narrowly focuses on the law’s protections for transgender people in public bathrooms and consequently frames Bill S.2407 as a threat to society, claiming it exploits people’s privacy and security.

On the other side, the organization leading the campaign to prevent the repeal is Freedom For All Massachusetts. Since the announcement of the upcoming November ballot, this organization has tirelessly worked to debunk the harmful claims made about the transgender community by Keep MA Safe. Freedom For All Massachusetts believes “discrimination has no place in Massachusetts,” so they work every day to fulfill their mission of upholding dignity and respect for the transgender community across the state.

As a school, SPH has taken a side on this issue. We believe our transgender friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors should be treated with the same dignity and respect as anyone else, and support Freedom For All Massachusetts’ “Yes on 3” campaign. In early 2018, the Activist Lab appointed Iris Olson as their Activist Fellow focusing on the transgender rights ballot in partnership with Freedom For All Massachusetts. Since being appointed, Iris has helped expand Freedom For All Massachusetts’ affiliates and supporters for their “Yes on 3” campaign. This work ensures the Commonwealth is familiar with transgender people, in general, as well as the concerns surrounding the upcoming ballot initiative. Iris has also been instrumental in coordinating the many advocacy activities you will see across campus this fall.

What is at stake?

With the fate of transgender Massachusetts residents and visitors in the hands of Massachusetts voters, this is a very unsettling time for the transgender community and their allies. According to a recent poll, 52% of Massachusetts voters oppose repealing protections for transgender people, and 38% of voters support the repeal. With such close margins, it is clear that anything could happen come November.

Simply put, if the transgender anti-discrimination law is repealed, transgender residents and visitors of Massachusetts will lose their fundamental human right to live their lives free of harassment and discrimination. A repeal of this law takes away the basic protections of safety, privacy, and dignity from the transgender community and allows for more fear and violence, rather than kindness and respect.

Beyond the impact to transgender individuals in Massachusetts, this ballot initiative will have political ramifications across the country. If voters repeal the law in Massachusetts, a historically blue state, supporters of the repeal believe the results will send a strong message to other, less liberal states across the country. Additionally, a repeal could be a potential catalyst for rolling back protections for the transgender community across the United States. However, if the transgender anti-discrimination law is maintained, Massachusetts will set a precedent for the rest of the nation. Massachusetts has the opportunity to send a clear message to other states that supporting the transgender community and pushing for an end to discrimination is a necessary next step for the betterment of our country.

Where do we go from here?

If you want to get involved in the efforts surrounding the upcoming November ballot, one of the most impactful things you can do is vote in November. In partnership with the BUSPH Queer Alliance, the Activist Lab will have voter registration tables set up on campus beginning in October, so you won’t have to go far to have your voice heard. On the ballot, the question regarding the transgender anti-discrimination law is number three. The question reads:

“Do you approve of a law summarized below, which was approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate on July 7, 2016?” You can read the full summary of the law as well as the other two ballot questions on the State of Massachusetts Elections and Voting website.

A “yes” vote will maintain the current law, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity in places of public accommodation. A “no” vote will repeal the law. Another great way to get involved in these efforts is by volunteering with Freedom For All Massachusetts directly. They are looking for eager activists to join their “Yes on 3” campaign. Find out more ways to get involved with Freedom For All Massachusetts by visiting their website or reaching out to our Activist Fellow, Iris Olson.

On September 12, the Activist Lab will co-host a Dean’s Seminar called Transgender Rights Ballot Battle: What’s at Stake? This seminar will include a panel of experts to further discuss the state of Massachusetts regarding the transgender anti-discrimination law, how we got here, and what all is at stake for our state, our communities, and our transgender friends and neighbors. The panel includes Mason Dunn, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition and co-chair of the Freedom For All Massachusetts campaign, Dr. Jennifer Seigel, Medical Director of the Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery at Boston Medical Center and Assistant Professor of General Internal Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, and Iris Olson, Activist Fellow with the Boston University School of Public Health Activist Lab. This conversation will be moderated by Sophie Godley, Clinical Assistant Professor in Community Health Sciences at Boston University School of Public Health. The seminar will be in Hiebert Lounge from 1 pm to 2:15 pm and live-streaming will be available at the School of Public Health’s website.