Hawkins and Greens Support Full Rights for Gay, Lesbian. Bisexual and Transgender

Hawkins and Greens Support Full Rights for Gay, Lesbian. Bisexual and Transgender

Howie Hawkins for Governor
Media Release
www.howiehawkins.org - www.gpny.org

For Immediate Release: October 13, 2010

Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for Governor, said today he "supports full rights for all members of our society, regardless of sexual orientation or gender. Greens like Mayor Jason West of New Paltz have provided critical leadership to issues such as the right to same-sex marriage. I will do the same as Governor."

Hawkins said that he hopes that the statements in recent days across the political spectrum condemning the homophobic remarks of Republican candidate Carl Paladino will be translated into concrete political action to enact stronger legislation and programs supporting the GLBT community.

Hawkins expressed his disappointment earlier this year over the defeat of the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, which would protect against discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression in areas like housing and employment.

The Green Party supports the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, and transgender people in housing, jobs, benefits, child custody, civil marriage, medical benefits and all areas of life provided to other citizens.

In addition to same-sex marriage, I will advocate for:

* Legislation to provide penalties for acts of violence and intimidation motivated by bias based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or sexual orientation;

* The right of all persons to self-determination with regard to gender identity and sex;

* support transgender New Yorkers having equal health care insurance coverage for things like hormone treatments, appropriate routine medical care and screening, and gender confirming surgery;

* sufficient funding for the State Division of Human Rights to fulfill its duty to investigate complaints in a fair and timely manner, and earmarking funds to educate employers and the public at large on state human rights laws like the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA);

* legislation that would allow localities to do business only with companies that extend to domestic partners of their employees the same benefits that are extended to spouses;

* youth in juvenile justice and other facilities operated by the Office of Children and Family Services should be protected from discrimination and bias harassment based on sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression;

* insurance companies should be required to sell domestic partner insurance policies on the same basis as spousal insurance coverage;

* support legislation that would allow employees to use sick time to care for a sick family member, including domestic partners;

* support full access to reproductive health and safe abortions.