Sun-Sentinel.com – By Patty Pensa – South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Policies would seek to protect civil rights
Transgender is quietly becoming a protected class in South Florida as cities vote to prohibit discrimination against a group that faces tremendous challenges fitting in.
Palm Beach and Broward counties may extend the protection next, which could leave the broadest imprint by affording civil rights to people for their gender identity or expression. The movement accelerated with the March firing of Largo City Manager Susan Stanton, who transitioned from male to female this year.
“It shined a light on what this discrimination is,” said Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights and Stanton’s attorney. “It really underscored how important it is to have these ordinances.”