Transgender people plead for law change

By KAREN LOVETT

CONCORD – For seven years, Robert Blanchette worked as a computer programmer at St. Anselm College.

He was a reliable employee, often working weekends and holidays to keep up. He received commendations for his professionalism.

Then suddenly, Blanchette found himself out of work.

The main reason, it became clear, was because Blanchette was preparing to become a woman.

In the spring of 2004, Blanchette disclosed to the school his gender dysphoria, when a person’s inner identity does not match their physical sex.

A month later, St. Anselm issued Blanchette a letter. Referring to the recently disclosed transsexualism, the school immediately released Blanchette.

Recalling the incident to a House judiciary committee Thursday, Blanchette – who is now a woman and goes by Sarah – summed it up.

“I felt like I’d been thrown to the wolves,” she said. “What happened to me is why this is so important.”

“This” would the inclusion of “gender identity and expression” in the state’s non-discrimination laws, which give protection in employment, housing and public accommodations. The bill’s sponsors also want those terms included in the state’s hate crimes law.

Blanchette was one of a number of people who testified in favor of the bill at Thursday’s hearing in Concord. Nobody testified against the proposal.

“There is a real and persistent threat against the transgender community,” said Allyson Robinson, associate director of diversity at the Human Rights Campaign in Washington, D.C.

Added Jason Wu, an attorney with Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, “The transgender community is the most vulnerable in the state.”

“Gender identity or expression” would include people whose personal identification as either a male or female does not match up with their biological traits, and any person whose outward expression of their gender does not fall within society’s stereotypes, such as a masculine woman and a feminine man.

Rep. Barbara Richardson, D-Richmond, said nondiscrimination laws have been passed in 13 states, Washington, D.C. and 98 counties and cities to protect people based on gender identity and expression.

She says 27 New Hampshire employers have adopted their own similar policies.

But that still leaves many transgender individuals unprotected.

Blanchette filed a lawsuit against St. Anselm, which was settled out of court in 2006.

Gerri Cannon, of Merrimack, wasn’t able to take such action.

Cannon, a senior marketing manager, was one of several people who were laid off from a software firm, after working in the field 30 years.

The move, Cannon believes, was not about a lack of work, because it came two months after she submitted a letter about her transition.

“In reality, someone just didn’t want to deal with me,” she said.

Mikayla Bourque, of Laconia, testified that before transitioning to a woman, she struggled with gender identity for 30 years. A former firefighter and military member, Bourque said, “I’ve done all the macho things. They never cured me.”

For the last 16 years, Bourque has worked at state’s employment security office, which – even through her transition – has “backed me 100 percent.”

“But it’s not the same with all employers,” Bourque added. She said her part-time employer informed her they were losing business because of her status.

Jennifer Madden, a physician in Nashua, also testified about initial difficulties with her employer, which included accepting a $45,000 salary cut. She now operates her own practice in Amherst.

“In retrospect, I think it would have been easier to have heart disease or cancer,” Madden said. “Those . . . people can understand.”

In 2007, Madden spearheaded efforts in the Legislature to require insurance companies to pay for hormones for transsexuals. The House voted it down.

With the new legislation, judiciary committee Chairman David Cote, D-Nashua, will decide whether to charge a subcommittee with studying the issue or ask the judiciary committee to take it up in the near future.

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