Transgender people face serious discrimination in our society, in areas ranging from appropriate medical care to parental rights; from personal identification documents to the freedom to marry.  Perhaps most common is the fact that transgender people face harassment and discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, and public accommodation - mistreatment that threatens their freedom to work and live safely in their own communities.

GLAD's mission embraces the eradication of discrimination based on gender identity and expression across New England.  Since committing itself to this fight, GLAD has successfully litigated ground-breaking cases in which a transgender person's rights or liberties are compromised simply because that person does not meet societal expectations of what it means to be a man or a woman.

GLAD also works on legislation - ensuring that transgender people are included in anti-discrimination and anti-violence laws at the federal, state, and municipal levels.   Finally, through publications, media outreach, our hotline, and speaking, GLAD works to ensure that trans people are fully informed of their rights under law.

GLAD Launches Transgender Rights Project

June 18, 2008 -- GLAD has announced the launch of a Transgender Rights Project, to be led by attorney Jennifer Levi (left). Levi, a nationally-recognized expert in transgender legal issues, has been on GLAD’s staff since 1998.

GLAD Applauds AMA's Support for Transgender Health Care

June 16, 2008 -- Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) applauded the American Medical Association's (AMA) support for transgender health care, declared today by a resolution passed by the AMA's House of Delegates.

Read GLAD's press release [PDF]
Read a fact sheet about the resolution [PDF]

Trans Protection Legislation in MA and CT

March 19, 2008 -- Legislation to protect citizens from discrimination based on gender identity or expression is pending in both Massachusetts and Connecticut. A hearing before the MA Joint Committee on the Judiciary for MA HB 1722, “An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate Crimes,” took place on March 4, 2008. GLAD Attorney Jennifer Levi (left) presented testimony in favor of the bill.

The Connecticut bill, HB 5723, “An Act Concerning Discrimination” had a public hearing on Wednesday, March 19 at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. Jennifer Levi also presented testimony at this hearing.

Verdict Watch is On in Transgender/IRS Trial

February 15, 2008 - GLAD and the IRS have completed post-trial briefing in the case of O'Donnabhain v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue. In this case, Rhiannon O'Donnabhain sued the IRS after their refusal to treat her expenses for hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery as a legitimate medical deduction. A four-day trial was held in U.S. Tax Court in July and August 2007, and with the completion of briefing, Ms. O'Donnabhain and GLAD now await a potentially precedent-setting decision.

Vermont Adds Gender Identity to Anti-Discrimination Law

July 5th, 2007 - Vermont joins Maine and Rhode Island as the third New England state to protect transgender residents by explicitly banning discrimination based on gender identity. On May 22, 2007, Governor Douglas signed legislation adding “gender identity” to the state’s non-discrimination law.

Similar legislation passed both the House and Senate in early 2006, but the Governor vetoed it, citing reservations about the bill’s language. GLAD worked with partners in Vermont throughout the year to address these concerns, and we are pleased to see the bill pass this session.

“New England is very much leading the country in codifying protections in law for trans people," says GLAD Attorney Jennifer Levi. "Through both court rulings and legislation, GLAD's work in New England has laid the foundation for the rest of the country to follow.

GLAD Civil Rights Project Director Mary Bonauto Testifies In Support of Maine Anti-Discrimination Regulations

April 2, 2007 -- GLAD Civil Rights Project Director Mary Bonauto today presented testimony in favor of proposed regulations for implementing Maine's ant-discrimination law. The law, ratified by voters in 2005, provides protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression in employment, housing, public accommodations, credit and education. The regulations are significant in providing a working definition of gender identity and gender expression.

Read Mary Bonauto's Testimony.

Transgender Lives: The Intersection of Health and Law Conference

GLAD Senior Staff Attorney Jennifer Levi presented on the opening panel of Transgender Lives: The Intersection of Health and Law Conference which took place on April 14 at the UCONN Health Center in Farmington, CT. Jennifer discussed the legal issues surrounding documentation especially as related to health care. Additional panelists included Dr. Deb Berhsel, Gunner Scott and Pat Wrigley.

For more information, please click here.

GLAD Staff Attorney Janson Wu Testifies In Support of NH Insurance Coverage for Hormone Treatment

March 19 , 2007 --GLAD Staff Attorney Janson Wu testified today before the NH Commerce Committee in support of a bill that would require insurance coverage for the cost of hormone treatment drugs for transexuals.

Read Janson's testimony.

2007 Trans Legislation

March 5 , 2007 --In early 2006, Vermont was on the brink of enacting an anti-discrimination bill protecting its transgender citizens. The Gender Identity and Expression Non-Discrimination Act cleared both the Senate and House with strong support. But Governor Douglas vetoed the bill. According to the Burlington Free Press, Douglas emphasized his commitment to fighting discrimination, but said he had reservations about the language of the bill, and about whether the Vermont legislature had given it proper consideration.

GLAD and our partner organizations have been working to address these concerns and consider the 2007 legislative session a positive environment for the bill's passage. Vermont's transgender community enjoys strong support from the state Attorney General's office, which issued a probable cause ruling in the case of Anthony Bareto-Neto, a GLAD client and police officer fired for being transgender.

New England is very much leading the country in codifying protections in law for trans people," says Levi. "The first step in ensuring protections was getting both court and agency rulings to support rights for trans people. We have taken that first step, and legislation is an important next step. GLAD's work in New England has laid the foundational work for the rest of the country to follow."

GLAD Senior Staff Attorney Jennifer Levi Testifies before Connecticut Judiciary Committee

February 23 , 2007 --GLAD Senior Staff Attorney Jennifer Levi testified before the Connecticut Judiciary Committee today in support of a bill that would add "gender identity or expression" to the state's existing protections against discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, and age.

Read Jennifer's testimony

GLAD Holds Reception to Celebrate the Publication of Transgender Rights

January 31, 2007 --GLAD held a reception on Janaury 30th to celebrate the publication of Transgender Rights, a groundbreaking new book that includes an essay written by GLAD attorneys Bennett Klein and Jennifer Levi. In addition to Bennett and Jennifer, speaking at the event were book editors Shannon Price Minter, Legal Director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Richard M Juang, Advisory Board Co-Chair at the National Center for Transgender Equality, as well as contributer Taylor Flynn, Associate Professor at Western New England College School of Law.

The event was co-sponsored by the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, Somos Latino@s LGBT Coalition of Massachusetts, AIDS Actions Committee, and the Massachusetts Lesbian and Gay Bar Association.

See photos of the event here!

GLAD Settles Trans Discrimination Case in NH

GLAD filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in June, 2005, on behalf of Sarah Blanchette, a transgender woman who was fired by Saint Anselm College after she informed them that she would be transitioning from male to female.  Mediation took place in December 2005 and in January 2006 GLAD settled the lawsuit on mutually satisfactory terms. Senior attorney Bennett Klein, who represented Blanchette, said "Saint Anselm College found Sarah Blanchette to be an exemplary and loyal employee, then treated her shamefully and unlawfully.  The firing was completely unrelated to her job performance and was motivated by prejudice, pure and simple."

Read more.

Transgender People Protected by Connecticut's Hate Crimes Law

Transgender and disability rights took a step forward in May 2004, when Connecticut's legislature amended the state's hate crimes statute to cover people targeted for violence because they are transgender or disabled. GLAD worked with the Connecticut Hate Crimes Network toward passage of the bill. GLAD attorney Jennifer Levi authored the original bill that led to the legislation signed by Governor John Rowland iin May 2004.

Read more

Vermont Attorney General Issues Landmark Ruling Prohibiting Discrimination Against Transgender Employees

GLAD worked with Anthony Barreto-Neto, a police officer in the Town of Hardwick, Vermont, who was terminated from the police department when the Town Manager learned that he is transgender.  After a precedent-setting ruling by the Vermont Attorney General that Vermont law prohibits discrimination against transgender people in employment, public accommodations, housing, and other areas, the Town of Hardwick settled a discrimination claim brought by Barreto-Neto.

Read more

GLAD's work for transgender equality

Read an interview of GLAD Board of Directors Member, Joanne Herman from InNewsWeekly.

Read The Advocate's Transgender 101 series by GLAD Board of Directors Member Joanne Herman.

Watch a video of GLAD Attorney Ben Klein at the Forum on Transgender Law Issues held at Suffolk University Law School in December, 2005. (Real Player required)

In 1999, GLAD brought suit against a school department in the case Pat Doe v. Yunits seeking an end to Trina Harrington's discriminatory exclusion from school. Read more about the case and Trina.

Read an interview of GLAD Senior Staff Attorney Jennifer Levi from Tapestry magazine, Jennifer Levi: Attorney for Gender Justice