Puerto Rico House Passes Trans Inclusive Rights Bill

In a historic day for the Puerto Rican TBLG community, the Puerto Rican House of Representatives  approved the trans inclusive Senate Bill 238 on a 29-22 vote after nearly three hours of debate in a session that ended well after midnight. 

“I can serve God without having to discriminate against anyone,” Rep. Lydia Méndez Silva said before she announced her support of the anti-discrimination bill.

The bill authored by Senator Ramon Luis Nieves would ban anti-TBLG discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations and government services in the US territory based on real or perceived gender identity or sexual orientation. 
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The Puerto Rican House also approved by the same 29-22 margin House Bill 488, which extends existing domestic violence protections to any person regardless of their marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity.  

HB 488 will now move to the Puerto Rican Senate for its approval while Senate Bill 238 heads to the desk of Governor Alejandro García Padilla.

Governor Garcia has indicated he will sign into law the passed SB 238 and HB 488 if it reaches his desk. He is also in favor of a bill that would extend second parent adoption rights to gay and lesbian couples and met with legislators on Thursday morning to garner support for the human rights legislation.

Puerto Rican homeboy and singer Ricky Martin also urged legislators to vote favorably on that pending TBLG rights legislation in an open letter he penned to Puerto Rican House members.

“The rights of gay people are human rights, and human rights are for everyone,” Martin wrote.“The passage of [SB 238] would represent the respect of our brothers and sisters’ rights.” 

American GL community, I hope you were paying attention to what transpired in Puerto Rico.

This is the 'Dallas Principles' in action in terms of not leaving anyone behind and moving forward to make collective human rights progress.  Unfortunately that's a concept that seems to have escaped some selfish people in this community. 

Trans inclusion helps TBLG human rights move forward for all of us, not backwards. 

It's also another concrete example of what I've been saying for years.  If you want liberal progressive change and laws, you have to elect liberal progressive politicans to do the job. 


But megacongratulations to my TBLG brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico.  It would be nice if our politicians in Washington DC would follow the sterling example of what yours just did, say no to the faith based haters and do the same thing on the mainland.