New York State Legislators

DANIEL O’DONNELL JULIA SALAZAR Member of Assembly State Senator 69th Assembly District 18th Senate District

November 12, 2020

The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo Governor of State New York State Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224

Governor Cuomo,

We are LGBTQ elected officials, organizations, and activists, working to ensure that , gender nonconforming, and nonbinary (TGNC) New Yorkers are able to live free from discrimination and harassment in our State. We urge you to sign the Gender Neutral Bathrooms Bill, A.5240 (O’Donnell) / S.6479 (Salazar), which makes all single stall bathrooms in New York State gender neutral, to ensure that TGNC New Yorkers can use public facilities without fear of harassment or discrimination.

This legislation is simple: it says that if a bathroom has one stall, anyone can use it. Critically, the bill applies to all restaurants, bars, public and private schools, and other public facilities across the State to ensure that everyone can access public accommodations wherever they are without fear of discrimination or harassment, no matter their gender or gender identity. Placing restrictions on who can use public restrooms not only violates individuals’ basic civil rights, it all too often threatens the privacy and safety of transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people who are just trying to go about their day. At its core, this bill is not just about bathrooms, but about transgender, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary peoples’ right to exist in the world as themselves, with safety, protection, and affirmation.

This bill passed unanimously in the New York State Assembly, with a significant bipartisan majority in the Senate, and with broad support across the LGBTQ community. , Philadelphia, Seattle, the State of California, and the State of Illinois have all passed similar legislation, all with no issues in implementation, and no negative impacts on businesses or institutions. As you know, the TGNC community has been the target of countless attacks from the Federal Administration and other states in recent years, and has endured a long history of discrimination and violence. New York has long been a leader in pushing forward LGBTQ rights. Our State must continue that proud history, stand strong for the TGNC community, and enact A.5240 / S.6479.

We urge you to support and sign A.5240 (O’Donnell) / S.6479 (Salazar) to support, protect, and affirm transgender, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary New Yorkers.

Sincerely,

Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell State Senator Julia Salazar

Organizations

Equality New York LGBTQ+ Caucus of the Association of The LGBT Center Legal Aid Attorneys, UAW LOCAL 2325 Gender Equality New York Legal Services of New Pride Agenda Make The Road New York GMHC New York Immigration Coalition The Trevor Project Citizen Action of New York Translatinx Network Works Marsha P. Johnson Institute New York Civil Liberties Union Adirondack Gender Alliance Athlete Ally Mid- Transgender Harlem Pride, Inc. Association Community Pride Center Genesee Valley Gender Variants The LOFT LGBTQ+ Community Center Spectrum Transgender Group of Greater Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center New York Albany Damien Center Stonewall Democrats of NYC NYC Pride and Power Stonewall Democrats of Hudson Valley GLYS Western NY Stonewall Democrats GLSEN Lower Hudson Valley Lambda Independent Democrats of GLSEN Upstate NY Brooklyn Western New York Anti Violence Project and Democratic Club of Inclusive Communities Against Hate Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club Long Island Rising SAGE Long Island Crisis Center GAY USA The Bar Method, Roslyn National Trans Bar Association Together We Will Long Island The LGBT Bar Association of New York New York Progressive Action Network - Queens County Bar Association LGBTQ+ Long Island Activists Committee New York Progressive Action Network - TriVersity Center Progressive East End Reformers (P.E.E.R.) Nonprofits TALK NY02 Indivisible Brooklyn Ghost Project Indivisible Nassau County UnLocal Young Long Island For Justice Youth Represent Intersex Friends and Families Bridge Represent Trans Equity Consulting A Wider Bridge Greater NYC For Change GirlVow Black Trans Nation The Haus of Encore National Harm Reduction Coalition Dance/NYC Parents Supporting Parents NY Sakhi for South Asian Women All Souls NYC Pride Team Princess Janae Place Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Prevent Child Abuse NY Shelter Rock Women’s Diversity Network Shared Humanity USA Long Island Poor People’s Campaign Community Healthcare Network Women & Justice Project Golisano Children’s Hospital - Strong Intersex Friends & Families, Intersex Supportive Housing Network of New York Boundaries The Opportunity Network Center Rainbow Access Initiative | NYC Pride Fred & Gilda Nobel Foundation New Hour for Women and Children—Long The Osborne Association Island Swish Ally Fund at the Stonewall Community Foundation

Individuals

La’Mia Aiken-Medina (She/Her/Hers) Dennise Camacho (she) Julia Appel (She her hers) Corinne Carey (She/her/hers) Jared B. Arader (he/him) Barbara Carreker (Ms) Amanda Babine (She/Her) Carol Castillo (she/her) Bryan Ball (He him his ) LaTravious Collins (she/her/hers) Anthony Beckford (He / Him) David M Comstock (He/Him/His) Caprice Bellefleur (she/her) Michael Coney (He/Him) Anna Berg (she/her) Terri Cook (She/Her) Allie Bohm (She/Her) Maxine Dangleer (Mrs.) Angelina Bouros (Her) Deana Davoudiasl (she/hers) Jason Bowman (He/Him) Katherine De Groot (she/her) Rachel Braun (she/her/hers) Maur DeLaney (he/him/his) Linda Brenner (She/her) Maira Della Pia (She/her/hers) Cynthya BrianKate (She/Her/Hers) Claire Deroche (she/her/hers) Sam Brinton (they/them) Amber M Desjardins (She, her, hers) Kristen Browde (whatever) Agnes Devereux (She/her) Allyson Burger (She/Her/Hers) Lorenzo Di Silvio (He, Him, His) Reg Calcagno (they/them) Christine Dore (she) Kym Dorsey (She, Her) Wendy Kaplan (She) Sue Doster (She/ Her/ Hers) Susan Karbiner (She/her/hers) Shateer "Tee" Douglas (he/ him) Dennis Kaufman (He/Him) Jako Douglas-Borren (He/him/his) Kavita (she/her) John F Duane (he/him) Justin Keeler (He/him/his) Carol Ebersole-Weiss (She/Her) Simone Kraus (She/ her/ hers) Gail Elis (She/her) Donald Kreger Bryan Ellicott (He/Him/They/Them) Eve Krief Tawni J. Engel (she/her/hers) Tanya Krupat (She/ her) Kristi Esquilin AiLun Ku (She/Her/Hers) Ric Evans (Mr.) Kat Lahey Joan Farber (she) Latifa (She, her, hers) Wendy Fast (her, she) Rev. Dr. Miriam Lawrence Leupold Edward Finan (He/Him/His) (she/her/hers) Joanna Finfer (she/they) Terry Lawson (She/ Her/ Hers) Isidora Finkelstein (she/her) Eric Lesh (He/him) Elmer Flores (He/him/his) Arlene Lev (she/her) Erica Forman (she/her) Shanequa Levin (She/her/hers) Charlotte Forrester (she/her) Serena Liguori (She/Her/Hers) Machele French (She) Lori Lorenz (She/Her) Rev. Audette Fulbright Fulson (she/her/hers) Anne Lotito-Schuh (She/her/hers) Cecilia Gentili (She/her) Mark Lovitz (Mr.) Michael Gibbons (He/him) Austin Sean Lynch (He/Him) Nathalia Gibbs (They/SHe) Meg Macci (She/her/hers) Tanesha Grant (she, her, queen) Betsy Malcolm (She, her) Charlene D Greenberg (She/her) Michael Mallon (He/Him) Mateo Guerrero-Tabares (He/they) Justin A. Maloney (He Him His) Margarita Guzman (she/her/they) Marjorie Marcille (She/her) Donna Guzzardi (She/Her) Monroe Marshall (He/Him) Elizabeth Hadden (She, her) Christine M.A. Marzano (she/her) Diane Haney Daniel McElroy (he, him) Hiroko Hatanaka (she) Kelly Metzgar (She/Her/Hers) Katrina Hatch (She/Her/Hers) JoAnne Metzler (her she) Cristina Herrera (She/Her) Max Micallef (They/He/She) Shoshana Hershkowitz (She/hee) Arrie Moore (Ms.) Abigail Highland (She, Her, Hers) Morgan P Morningstar (She/Her) Maxine Hirschler (She/Her) Gregory J Morris (He/Him) Kenneth Hughes (he him) Carmen Neely (She/Her/Hers) Andy Humm (he, him. his) Pamela Neely (She/Her) Elizabeth Iwan (She/her) Brianna Nerud (She/her) Jennifer Johnson Avril (She/her) Barry Nobel Lindsay Jones (She they) Jessica Nygren (She/Her/Hers) Patricia Jones Jenn O’Connor (She) Anu Joshi (she/her) Stephanie O’Donnell (she/her) Christopher Judge (He/him) Maria OLeary (She/her) Perry Junjulas (He/Him) Sarah Ohlinger (She/Her/Hers) District Leader Samuel Nemir Olivares Barbara Salva (she, her her's) (He/they) Jeff Satterley (he/him) Carly (She/Her) Rebecca Sauer (She/her) Michele Pava (She / her) Sloan Schiller (He) Lori Jeanne Peloquin (She/hers) John Schindler (They/Them/Their) Troy Philadelphia (He/Him) Fredric Schwartz (He, his) Maryellen Pierce (She/Her/Theirs) Sue Sena (She/Her/Your highness) Rev. Roberta Place (she/her) Nate Shalev (They/them) Connie Purdum (Ms.) Bridget Shanahan (She/Her) Tricis Quinn (She, her) Steven Sharpe Jr. (He/Him) Aleris Quinones Renee Short (she/her) Greg Rabb (He HIs Him) Melissa Sklarz (she/her) Roberta Raeburn (She/her) Patricia M Spencer (she) Susan Ragusa (She/Her) Ian Zelos Spiridigliozzi (He/him, Debra Razzano-Nerud (She, her) They/them) Renate Reeves-Ellington (her she) Marsha Stone Kristin Reisch (She/her/hers) Phillip Sylvester (He/Him) Valerie Reyes-Jimenez (She/Her/Sir/Ms) Kathryn Szoka (She/They) Christina Richer (She, her) Judy Troilo (She/Her/Hers) Nicolette Riczker (She, Her, Hers) Susan C Turell, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) Susan L Roberts (s/he, he/r, he/rs) Shnya Unity(She /her /hers) Janice Rodriguez (she) Rafaela Uribe (She/they) Christina R Romeo (She/Her) Jaya Vasandani (She/Her) Brian Romero (He/Him) Elliot Vos (he/him) Allen Roskoff Herbert Waldren Robert Roush (He/They) Kathryn Wallace (She/her) Dawn Rowe (She/her) Geoffrey Wertime (he/him/his) Michele Rowe (She/Her) Ny Whitaker (she/hers/her) Kate Rubin (she/her) Kei Williams (he/they) Joan Rubinstein (me, mine, ours) Tasha Williams (she) Kelly Sabatino (She/Her/Hers) Gregory Williams (He/Him/His) Joe Sackman (He/Him)