I was very disappointed with the Boston Globe editorial (“Boos don’t help cause of transgender rights,” April 16) criticizing civil rights activists for confronting Governor Baker about his failure to take a stand on the Transgender Public Accommodation Bill. Charlie Baker has been asked and lobbied to support this legislation for over six years, dating back to when he ran for governor in 2010. However, he has refused to disclose whether he supports the legislation.
As an elected official myself, part of my responsibility is to listen to
all sides of an issue, and then, within a reasonable amount of time, respond to constituents whether I
support or oppose a piece of legislation. Over the last two years, Governor Baker has taken public positions on bills ranging from charter schools to in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants to taxes, none of which has reached his desk.
Pro-equality legislators, advocates, and transgender persons have waited for over a year for Governor Baker to express his views on the legislation. It is entirely reasonable for a group of Massachusetts residents whose lives aren’t equally protected under the law to engage publicly with their elected official, when he is making every effort to avoid taking a side.
Advertisement