New England's professional sports teams back transgender equality

The New England Patriots, Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, and New England Revolution have all announced their support of legislation that would guarantee protections for transgender people in public accommodations in Massachusetts.

The Boston Red Sox announced their support in November.

I think that having not only New England’s most prominent cultural institutions, but also frankly the most iconic public accommodations that come with that — Fenway Park, TD Garden — really sends the message.

This issue has become mainstream and widely accepted.

--Kasey Suffredini, Freedom Massachusetts

Seventeen states and more than 200 cities and towns across the country have passed measures barring discrimination based on gender identity.

The defeat of HERO in Houston was upsetting, but hopefully only temporary.

Even here, in a liberal state that was the first to legalize same-sex marriage, proponents are taking special care to portray their cause as noncontroversial. And in Massachusetts, there is nothing less controversial than single-minded devotion to the home team.

When the major sports teams and some of the most beloved names in the state come out in favor of this, and you have business groups basically support it, you normalize it.

--Peter N. Ubertaccio, associate professor of political science, Stonehill, College

We are proud to support efforts that guarantee equal access rights for everyone.

--Celtics

In 2011, state lawmakers passed a bill that gave protection against discrimination in areas like employment, education and housing to transgender adults, but the legislature stripped out a provision that would have guaranteed such protection in public spaces. A 2015 bill to provide those protections was not taken up by the legislature before the end of the year, which Mr. Ubertaccio ascribed in part to a current of cultural conservatism that still persists here.

House speaker, Robert A. DeLeo, a Democrat, has expressed support for the bill, and advocates are hoping to increase pressure on lawmakers to take it up this year.

Treating others the way we’d like to be treated is at the foundation of our society. We all deserve to be treated fairly and equally under the law. But right now in Massachusetts, there are no explicit protections ensuring transgender people cannot be turned away from a hotel or denied service at a restaurant – simply because of who they are.

--Freedom Massachusetts

A 2014 survey found that 65% of transgender people living in Massachusetts reported experiencing discriminated against in an area of public accommodation.

According to Massachusetts Senate President Stan Rosenberg, the bill should pass sometime in 2016; "There is strong support in the Senate and the Senate stands ready to vote on the matter, as soon as we have access to the bill."

What's particularly impressive about this is how willing the teams are to get involved in a "political" issue. So many sports entities view politics as pitfalls. While many of the Boston teams have demonstrated a willingness to engage on LGBT issues in recent years, the dedication of these teams to equality is still pretty cool to see.

--Cyd Zeigler, Outsports

House Speaker Robert de Leo has expressed support of the bill but is cautious, wanting to build a veto-safe majority.

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LapsedLawyer's picture

Still won't make me root for the Patriots or the Sox, though Biggrin

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