News

By Peter J. Smith

ALBANY, New York, December 17, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Gov. David Paterson signed an executive order Wednesday that prohibits state agencies from refusing to hire transsexuals and transvestites. Although state agencies cannot discriminate based on “sexual orientation,” Paterson's order goes further to ban discrimination based on “gender identity and expression in any matter pertaining to employment by the State.”

Paterson signed Executive Order No. 33 on Wednesday, putting these regulations into effect. The governor's order directs the Office of Employee Relations to “develop and implement clear and consistent guidelines prohibiting gender identity and expression discrimination by all State agencies.”

“For generations, New York has been a national leader on civil rights, yet the State has lagged far behind in securing basic civil rights for transgender New Yorkers,” Paterson said in a statement. “I am proud to sign this important measure to not only bring workforce protection to the transgender community under the law, but to bring greater equality and civil rights to the State of New York.”

The executive order follows upon Paterson's failure to deliver legal same-sex “marriage” to the state's well-funded homosexual lobby, whose support he is looking to secure for his 2010 gubernatorial race.

Those efforts were successfully blocked by Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr. (D-Bronx), who managed to delay a vote on the bill in the Senate until December, whereupon it went down in defeat, rejected 38 – 24.

Back in May, Paterson began the process of easing New York into accepting same-sex “marriage” by ordering all state agencies to recognize homosexual nuptials performed outside New York as legal, even though the state constitution does not allow for them. Despite efforts to challenge that memorandum, the New York State Court of Appeals upheld the order.

See related coverage by LifeSiteNews.com:

NY Senate Hands Gay Activists Crushing Defeat on Same-Sex “Marriage” Bill
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/dec/09120203.html

New York Governor Memo Says State Agencies Must Recognize Gay “Marriage” Performed Outside the State
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/may/08052909.html