More than 50 businesses, including Google, Harvard Pilgrim Health, and Eastern Bank, as well as the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the Massachusetts Hospital Association, and the YWCA of Boston have thrown their support behind a bill aimed at protecting transgender people from discrimination in public accommodations.

On the opposing side are Governor Charlie Baker and the Massachusetts Family Institute.

In 2011 the Massachusetts legislature passed a bill protecting transgender people from discimination in housing, employment, and credit and added gender identity to the state's hate crimes law.

Though hailed at the time as a "major victory," it was not a total success.

The bill did not include language to protect transgender people in public accommodations, which advocates had sought. They will continue to fight to expand transgender protections to include public accommodations, such as hotels, restaurants, and clubs, she said. Opponents had decried those proposals as “the bathroom bill,’’ arguing that they would enable biological men to demand access to women’s restrooms and locker rooms.

Anti-discrimination protection in public accommodations was just perceived as going a bridge too far.

Seventeen states have now surpassed Massachusetts to pass these vital non-discrimination protections.

But our allies promised us that they would revisit this provision, so here we are. While there is now more public support, there is still pushback.

The Retailers Association of Massachusetts wants to ensure the bill would not require businesses to construct new bathrooms for transgender people, president Jon Hurst said.

Mr. Hurst still does not grok that separate is not equal.

The measure is necessary so transgender people will feel Massachusetts is a safe place in which to live, as well as work.

--Mason Dunn, cochair of Freedom Massachusetts

Senate President Stanley Rosenberg supports the bill and urges others to do so. Twelve Massachusetts municipal leaders, calling themselves Mayors for Freedom have called on the State Legislature to pass HB 1577 and SB 735. The group includes Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, Amherst Town Manager John Musante, Brookline Board of Selectmen Chair Neil Wishinsky, Cambridge Mayor David Maher, Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn, Melrose Mayor Robert Dolan, Newton Mayor Setti Warren, Northhampton Mayor David Narkewicz, Somerville Mayor Joseph Cutatone, Swampscott Town Manager Thomas Younger, and Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty.

I am proud that Boston is committed to providing protection from discrimination in public places, regardless of gender identity. “Everyone has the right to enjoy retail stores, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, theaters, public parks, and public transportation. Our diversity and inclusive community is what makes Boston so strong. I call on the Legislature to pass this bill so we can do more to provide tangible protections to all of our Commonwealth’s residents and visitors.

--Walsh

Massachusetts is a progressive and forward-thinking Commonwealth, a place where we should embrace the notion that all people deserve the same protections and rights, no matter who they are or how they identify. Every day, every resident of Salem has the peace-of-mind in knowing that they are protected everywhere they go and I am proud of that fact. I strongly encourage our state leaders to pass this legislation so that transgender people from across the Bay State can have those same protections.

--Driscoll

Representative Byron Rushing, a Boston Democrat and one of the bill’s sponsors along with Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz and Representative Denise Provost, said support from the business community signals that employers already are working toward protecting their workers and customers.

I can’t pretend to understand the medical, societal, psychological issues that transgender people deal with, but we have laws on the books that enable discrimination and we should fix that.

--James E. Rooney, president, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

Governor Baker, in a statement from a spokesman Sunday, said he “prefers the current law regarding public accommodations.” Baker during his unsuccessful 2010 gubernatorial bid referred to a similar bill as the “bathroom bill” and said he would veto it if elected.

House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo only says, "I’ve been proud to fight for equality for the LGBTQ community."

Andrew Beckwith, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, a conservative public policy organization, said the bill raises privacy concerns for nontransgender people if, for example, transgender women (assigned the male gender at birth) are allowed to enter female bathrooms or locker rooms.

The rights and feelings of particularly women, and young women, girls, will be ignored in order to facilitate the sort of transgender agenda.

--Beckwith

The bill is currently before the Joint Judiciary Committee. A hearing is expected in October.

The work will continue after the bill passes . . . to do the education and do the outreach to say this is now law and let’s follow this up with trainings and with conversations.

--Dunn

A lobbying day for transgender rights is set for Thursday at the State House.