New York’s anti-loitering legislation, which targets trans sex workers, is under fire.
You may not have heard of the “Walking While Trans” law, but it’s a discriminatory statute that has aggressively been used to arrest and detain trans folks.
The existing law allows police officers to act based on what they may deem as suspicious or law breaking. These subjective regulations put trans women, specifically trans women of colour, at risk.
The law, officially named the Loitering for the Purpose of Prostitution law, was established in 1976.
It is believed that many of the arrests occurring across New York, targeting trans men and women, fall under the category of “loitering for the purpose of prostitution.”
In 2018, The Bronx Times revealed that arrests for loitering for prostitution spiked 120 percent in one year.
While attempts have been made to introduce laws that protect trans men and women on the street, they have not always been successful.
Last Friday (22 January), Democrat Senator Brad Hoylman introduced the repeal proposal in an effort to increase protections for the trans community.
Holyman said: “We need to get rid of the overly broad and archaic statute that allows transgender women of color, immigrants, and LGBT youth to be profiled just because of the way they look.”
The post Democrats are trying to repeal New York’s anti-trans “Walking While Trans” law appeared first on GAY TIMES.
Democrats are trying to repeal New York’s anti-trans “Walking While Trans” law
New York’s anti-loitering legislation, which targets trans sex workers, is under fire.
You may not have heard of the “Walking While Trans” law, but it’s a discriminatory statute that has aggressively been used to arrest and detain trans folks.
The existing law allows police officers to act based on what they may deem as suspicious or law breaking. These subjective regulations put trans women, specifically trans women of colour, at risk.
The law, officially named the Loitering for the Purpose of Prostitution law, was established in 1976.
It is believed that many of the arrests occurring across New York, targeting trans men and women, fall under the category of “loitering for the purpose of prostitution.”
In 2018, The Bronx Times revealed that arrests for loitering for prostitution spiked 120 percent in one year.
While attempts have been made to introduce laws that protect trans men and women on the street, they have not always been successful.
Last Friday (22 January), Democrat Senator Brad Hoylman introduced the repeal proposal in an effort to increase protections for the trans community.
Holyman said: “We need to get rid of the overly broad and archaic statute that allows transgender women of color, immigrants, and LGBT youth to be profiled just because of the way they look.”
The post Democrats are trying to repeal New York’s anti-trans “Walking While Trans” law appeared first on GAY TIMES.
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