Reported by Alyssa Gillin, Boston Spirit contributing writer
(Editor’s note: This article appears in the November/December 2016 print edition of Boston Spirit magazine. Subscribe for free today.)
Standing with Obama’s support of trans students
New Hampshire is one of twelve states and the District of Columbia that has filed an amicus brief supporting transgender student in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Texas.
The amicus brief, led by Washington State attorney General Bob Ferguson, counters a suit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton seeking to block the recent released of guidance advising schools how to ensure dignity and equal treatment of transgender students by federally funded schools, provided by the Departments of Education and Justice and announced by President Barack Obama.
According to Sarah Warbelow, legal director at the Human Rights Campaign, Ferguson and those who have signed on from the twelve states, including New Hampshire, “are showing the nation what it means to stand up for all students, ensuring that our transgender youth are affirmed and respected in one of the places they should feel most safe—their schools. No student should have to live in fear of being who they are, and we thank the tireless advocates working to guarantee a future full of opportunity for all young people.”
LGBT family-friendly city
The national real estate network Movoto has name Durham one of the “Seven Best Towns in New Hampshire for LGBT Families.”
What makes Durham so gay family friendly? Home to the University of New Hampshire, the college city atmosphere creates a warm and friendly environment for everyone to represent who they really are. What’s more, Durham “offers a wide range of cultural and family-friendly activities ranging from sports to theatre to a stargazing observatory” plus “the immediate surrounding area also offer year-round family activities such as fishing, swimming, skiing, and snow boarding.” Sounds like good stuff for just about any kind of family—which only goes to show how progressive and cool Durham is for everyone.
Granite State cities push forward on trans equality
One of the first battles in the public debate over public accommodations and other fundamental civil-right protections for transgender people happened in New Hampshire when, in 2009, state representative Ed Butler put forth a plan to include gender identity and expression in the state’s anti-discrimination law, thereby covering transgender citizens’ concerns about housing, employment, and protection from violence.
It was “a really very simple extension of nondiscrimination protection to a class that isn’t covered and needs to be covered,” said Butler. Although Butler went on to successfully sponsored the state’s marriage bill, he’d expressed at the time that the failure of the 2009 transgender rights bill was simply due to asking for the legislature to do too much, too soon.
However the Granite State is moving forward on the issue, with individual cities such as Portsmouth and Dover have adopting rules to allow transgender students to use their preferred restroom and locker rooms. Positives steps in the right direction.
Don’t let autumn pass you by
Here’s a day-trip tip for everybody: it’s not too late to head up to Laconia before the snowy season starts and hop on the Fall Foliage Cruise on Lake Winnipesaukee. Even after the last leave has dropped, this fun and spirited trip has got some truly fabulous views. The cruise around the lake lasts approximately two-and-a-half hours and provides a view of the Weirs Beach shoreline and the beautiful mountain ranges New Hampshire is known for.
