Today, national and international LGBT organizations – including the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Lambda Legal, the National Black Justice Coalition, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, and GLAAD– joined with local LGBTQ organizations to urge New York City legislators to defend historic legislation that bans discriminatory police profiling, despite a veto by NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
The passage of the legislation made history just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act by creating the first enforceable ban against police profiling based on sexual orientation and gender identity, alongside race, religion, immigration status, age, gender, housing status, disability, and HIV status.
The statement issued by 34 local and national LGBTQ organizations noted that “from Stonewall to stop and frisk, LGBTQ people - and particularly LGBTQ people of color, LGBTQ youth, and transgender and gender nonconforming people - have long been targets of profiling and other forms of discriminatory policing. The consequences have ranged from death to deportation, assault to arrest, homophobic harassment to humiliation.” The statement’s signatories called on legislators to “continue to stand firm with LGBTQ people and communities of color, and to vote against efforts to veto this landmark legislation and turn back the clock on this victory. The safety of LGBTQ New Yorkers depends on it.”
According to The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs report Hate Violence Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and HIV-Affected Communities in the United States in 2012, AVP found that in New York City in 2012 nearly 40% of survivors interacting with the NYPD reported police misconduct. Reports of police misconduct increased significantly from 8 in 2011 to 78 in 2012. The report also found that survivor reports of hostile attitudes from police doubled in 2012, with 43 reports, up from 21 in 2011.
“Officers of the law and our elected officials have a responsibility to ensure all citizens, including those who are LGBTQ, can live safely in our communities without fear of harassment or violence by enacting and enforcing protections like these,” said GLAAD Acting President Dave Montez. “The time is now.”
A vote on the Mayor’s veto is expected in August of this year. For more information please visit: www.ChangeTheNYPD.org
The full statement and list of signatories is below:
Statement From LGBTQ Organisations to the New York City Council:
Dear New York City Council,
We commend the New York City Council for leading the way toward putting an end to discriminatory policing of all of our communities by passing a comprehensive and enforceable ban on police profiling and establishing independent oversight of the New York City Police Department. We congratulate New York City for making history by prohibiting police profiling based on sexual orientation and gender identity by law, along with race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, housing status, immigration status and disability, including HIV status. From Stonewall to stop and frisk, LGBTQ people - and particularly LGBTQ people of color, LGBTQ youth, and transgender and gender nonconforming people - have long been targets of profiling and other forms of discriminatory policing. The consequences have ranged from death to deportation, assault to arrest, homophobic harassment to humiliation. Every person, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity, must be able to walk the streets without fear for their safety, including fear of police profiling and discriminatory policing practices. Profiling – whether it’s based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity – has no place in our society. We thank you for your courage in protecting our right to safety while protecting our right to be free from discrimination in all its forms, including by police charged with protecting us. We urge you to continue to stand firm with LGBTQ people and communities of color, and to vote against efforts to veto this landmark legislation and turn back the clock on this victory. The safety of LGBTQ New Yorkers depends on it.
- Ali Forney Center
- Audre Lorde Project
- Black and Pink
- BreakOUT
- Brooklyn Community Pride Center
- Callen-Lorde
- Center on HIV Law and Policy
- Community United Against Violence
- Equity Project
- FIERCE
- Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
- Gay Mens' Health Crisis (GMHC)
- Gay Straight Alliance Network
- GetEQUAL
- GLAAD
- Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI)
- International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC)
- Lambda Legal
- Latino Commission on AIDS (LCOA)
- The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of New York
- Make the Road New York
- National Black Justice Coalition (NCBJ)
- National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP)
- National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)
- National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE)
- New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP)
- New York State LGBTQ Domestic Violence Network
- National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF)
- Providence Youth Student Movement (PRYSM)
- Queerocracy
- Queers for Economic Justice (QEJ)
- Streetwise and Safe (SAS)
- Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP)
- Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF)