* FINAL VERSION - Concurred
Resolution:D012
Title:Support of Transgender Civil Rights
Topic:(Unassigned)
Committee:09 - National and International Concerns
House of Initial Action:Deputies
Proposer:Byron Rushing

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 76th General Convention of The Episcopal Church supports the enactment of laws at the local, state and federal level that a) prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or the expression of one's gender identity, and b) treat physical violence inflicted on the basis of a victim's gender identity or expression as a hate crime; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of Convention convey this resolution to appropriate congressional leadership to the Chair of the National Governors Association, the President of the National Conference of State Legislatures, and to the President of the U. S. Conference of Mayors.


EXPLANATION

At the time of this writing (April 2009), 13 states, Washington D.C., and 102 counties and cities have laws or statutes on their books protect transgender people. By passing this resolution, the Episcopal Church would urge the enactment of laws in federal, state, municipal levels in order make the protection of transgender people explicit, uniform, and visible to the general public. These protections can be enacted by simply including "gender identity or expression" in existing non-discrimination statutes and by amending existing hate crime laws to explicitly protect people targeted for violence and harassment based on gender identity or expression (defined as "a gender-related identity, appearance, expression, or behavior of an individual, regardless of the individual's assigned sex at birth.").
 
The Episcopal Church has long been committed to social justice and to the eradication of discrimination in all its forms both in civil society and within the Church. Although the "lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community" are often referred to as a group, lesbian and gay people have made considerable advances over the last two decades, while transgender people - transsexuals and others who differ from societal gender norms - are still without legal protection for their basic civil rights.
 
No one deserves to be fired, refused work, denied housing, education or credit, or suffer harassment or violence just because of who they are -- but transgender and gender non-conforming people routinely face all of these for transitioning from one sex to another, or simply for defying expectations of what a "normal" man or woman looks like. From 2002-2006, transgender victims of hate crimes comprised over 6.3% of the total number of anti-LGBT hate crime victims, a number completely disproportionate to their actual population. Transgender people report losing their jobs, being harassed by landlords, being denied credit, feeling unsafe in their own schools and even being turned away from local emergency rooms.
 
Despite this profound vulnerability, transgender people are increasingly visible as productive participants in workplaces and communities of all types, including Episcopal congregations. By passing this resolution, the Episcopal Church would continue to practice the promises of our baptismal covenant: to strive for justice and peace among all people and to respect the dignity of every human being. Furthermore, with our visible and public support for this resolution, the Church would encourage transgender people, along with all God's people, to bear witness to God's transforming presence in their lives, and to discern the various ministries into which God may be calling them. By raising our voices here, we would also invite the Church to open its eyes afresh to see God's hand at work in the world about us, and to deepen its inquiry into the holy mystery of the human person.



* Note: The final language, as well as the final status of each resolution, is being reviewed by the General Convention office. The Journal of the 76th General Convention and the Constitution and Canons will be published once the review process has been completed.