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This morning the Dallas County Commision voted 3-2 to include gender identity and expression to the existing non-discrimination policy. The vote was split down party lines with Democrats Judge Clay Jenkins, Commissioner Wiley Price, and Commissioner Dr. Elba Garcia voting for the measure.

This vote came just a month after sexual orientation was added to the non-discrimination policy by the commission unanimously on March 22nd, following a campaign promise by Judge Jenkins. Jenkins later stated that the commission had been under the false impression that adding sexual orientation would cover trans people as well.

Maurine Dickey, a Republican Commissioner whose district includes Oak Lawn a gay neighborhood, voted for adding sexual orientation but voted against trans rights. In the run up to the vote for adding trans people to the non-discrimination policy, Dickey was hoped to be the third vote while Price was undecided. However in an interview with the Dallas Voice Dickey compared the measure to giving protections to “overweight people” and “people with diabetes” raising controversy over her transphobia and questions as to why those people did not deserve protections too.

This bill’s passage comes as the Texas legislature is pushing for a bill to make it harder for trans people to marry within the state. Including trans people in existing non-discrimination policy at the city, county, state or federal level is still widely contested and, while progress is made in some places, there are places like Maine which are seeking to remove existing protections. Dallas County’s status as the ninth most populous county in the United States makes this a major victory for the trans community both at a local level and in the overall fight for trans rights.

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/04/dallas...-trans-rights/