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Today, AVP staff and members stand alongside tireless TGNC advocates from all over the state to see the passage of GENDA – the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, which is 17 years in the making – and a ban on conversion therapy! 
The last time New York State passed LGBTQ specific legislation was *marriage equality in 2011*. Since then, the Senate Independent Democratic Caucus blocked most progressive legislation. But 2018 gave us the blue wave, and new opportunities to move legislation 🌈
Some background: In 2002 NYS passed SONDA, the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act, but TGNC people were cut out as a last minute compromise. At the time, TGNC folks were told to wait their turn, and that began the fight for GENDA.
We are immensely grateful to early and enduring advocates for GENDA: @DickGottfried, the Assembly sponsor of the GENDA bill that just passed, was one of the 1st electeds in our state to stand up for TGNC people. Thank you!
As well as to our beloved former AVP Board member Tom Duane was the early Senate champion. Thank you, deeply.
We are SO grateful to Senator @BradHoylman, our champion who brings the bill over the finish line today in the Senate, something that was impossible a year ago.
GENDA includes increased penalties for people committing hate crimes against TGNC people, bringing that standard in alignment with consequences for all other hate crimes in the state.
We echoed the concerns raised here. While AVP initially advocated for this, we now know that criminal legal statutes around hate crimes disproportionately incarcerate people of color, like all other criminal legal statutes.
We want to see equity for TGNC survivors under the law AND we do not believe that increased levels of criminal legal punishment lead us toward liberation; instead they perpetuate violence.
AVP celebrates the passage of #GENDA, which is a long time coming, and we will continue to fight for a justice that centers LGBTQ survivors of violence and does not do further violence on behalf of survivors 🧡
