#EveryoneWelcome

In 2016, Attorney General Maura Healey kicked off a social media campaign in support of legislation to protect transgender people from discrimination in public places, featuring short video messages from a mix of high-profile allies of the transgender community and families from across Massachusetts. Watch videos submitted in support of the legislation, as well as the celebration after the bill became law.

Letter

The Honorable Stanley Rosenberg
Senate President
State House, Room 332
Boston, MA 02133

The Honorable Robert DeLeo
Speaker of the House
State House, Room 356
Boston, MA 02133

Dear Senate President Rosenberg and Speaker DeLeo,

We write to urge the Massachusetts Legislature to take a favorable vote now on H1577/S735, An Act Relative to Transgender Anti-Discrimination.  

Four years ago, Massachusetts banned discrimination against transgender people in employment, housing, education, and credit. It is time to finish that work and ensure that transgender people are also protected from discrimination in public places. Transgender people should be able to ride a bus, go to a movie, or visit a restaurant without fear of harassment or unequal treatment.

Transgender employees and customers deserve to feel safe and welcome in Massachusetts. They deserve dignity and respect. The widespread national outrage over the discriminatory laws recently signed in North Carolina and Mississippi, as well as a legislative proposal passed in Georgia, demonstrates the strong support for full LGBT equality among both the business community and the broader public.

Promoting equality is not just the right thing to do – it is also good for business. Discriminatory laws make it harder for companies and regions to recruit talented employees, attract customers, and build a thriving economy. That is why more than 200 companies have endorsed this bill.

We are proud to stand with the transgender community, and we urge you to stand with us.

Sincerely,

Alliance for Business Leadership
Apple Inc.
Ashia Ray Photography
Atrius Health
Au Bon Pain
Bella Luna Restaurant/Milky Way Lounge
Biogen Inc.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Boston Community Capital
Boston Foundation
Burns & Levinson LLP
Cambridge Eats and Beats
Cambridge Innovation Center
CeltiCare Health
Cisco
Cobblestones Restaurant
The Coca-Cola Company
Dedham Medical Associates
Delta Dental of Massachusetts
Eastern Bank
Education First
EMC
Facebook
Glove Cleaners Inc.
Gonzalez & Associates, PC
Google
Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare
Hill Holliday
InkHouse
Iron Mountain
John Hancock
J.P. Licks
Korn Ferry
Lesser Newman Aleo and Nasser LLP
Liberty Mutual Insurance
Locke Lord
Loring, Wolcott & Coolidge
Massachusetts Association of Health Plans
Massachusetts Business Roundtable
Massachusetts Nurses Association
Massachusetts Restaurant Association
MassBIO
MassChallenge
MassMutual Financial Group
Microsoft
Moonstones Restaurant
Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association
National Grid
New England Venture Capital Association
Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce
Partners HealthCare
PayPal
Pine Village Preschool
Reflection Films
Reinventure Capital
Rockland Trust Company
Salesforce
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
State Street
Suffolk Construction
TD Garden
Techstars
Twitter
Uber
VCA Inc.
Verrill Dana
Visiting Angels of Newton and Canton
Wayfair
Zipcar

#EveryoneWelcome

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You skipped the video, Lemay Family urging passage of trans rights.

We have a chance right now to send a positive message of inclusion and equality in Massachusetts. Children like Jacob and Ella should grow up feeling safe and supported in their community. Join our social media campaign to urge the passage of this critical civil rights legislation..

Share a post on Facebook or tweet a video, a photo, or a simple statement of support using the hashtag #EveryoneWelcome.

Kathy Griffin, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the Bruins, and the Celtics all agree – it’s time to make #EveryoneWelcome in Massachusetts. Check out all of the folks who have already joined on Twitter (@MassAGO) and Facebook.

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You skipped the video, #EveryoneWelcome Ad Club.

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You skipped the video, Jazz Jennings Support Transgender Equality in MA.

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You skipped the video, Everyone is welcome at a Bruins Game.

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You skipped the video, Celebration of Transgender Public Accommodation .

Read the #EveryoneWelcome Press Release

Attorney General Maura Healey today kicked off a social media campaign in support of legislation to protect transgender people from discrimination in public places, featuring short video messages from a mix of high-profile allies of the transgender community and families from across Massachusetts.

The social media campaign features videos from allies like Caitlyn Jenner, Kathy Griffin, Olympic gold medal winner and World Cup champion Abby Wambach, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and local supporters of the Transgender Public Accommodations Bill, including Harvard University Professor Henry Louis Gates, Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca and Boston Bruins center and alternate captain Patrice Bergeron.

The Transgender Public Accommodations Bill (House Bill 1577 and Senate Bill 735, filed by Representatives Byron Rushing and Denise Provost, and Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz), which is pending before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, would protect transgender people from discrimination in places of public accommodation, including restaurants, hotels, parks, movie theaters, and gyms.

 “For me, this is a fundamental civil rights issue and makes clear we respect the dignity of each and every human being in our state,” said AG Healey. “This is about young people and their families feeling safe when they go to our hospitals, our restaurants, our movie theaters and other public places. We need a law on the books that will make sure everyone is welcome regardless of their gender identity.”

Among others, the cast of the Emmy-award winning TV series “Transparent” and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh will also submit videos in support of the campaign.

The AG’s Office is asking the public to share their own short videos on social media expressing their support for the bill using the hashtag #EveryoneWelcome. For the campaign launch video, click here.

On Tuesday, AG Healey met with transgender young people, their families and members of the business community for a roundtable discussion on the importance of equality and supporting the pending legislation.

The Transgender Public Accommodations Bill is supported by the Massachusetts Major City Chiefs, the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, all four major Boston sports teams, and businesses like Google, State Street, EMC, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Eastern Bank, Legal Sea Foods, Twitter and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.

AG Healey testified before the Judiciary Committee in favor of the legislation in October 2015.

To download the AG’s social media campaign launch videos click here.