On July 1, 2011, the Connecticut Legislature approved a bill adding gender identity or expression as a protected class in Connecticut. As of October 1, 2011, people in Connecticut are protected from discrimination based on their gender identity or expression. The legislation defines gender identity or expression as:
a person’s gender-related identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that gender-related identity, appearance or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person’s physiology or assigned sex at birth . . . (Public Act No. 11-55).
In passing this bill, Connecticut joins just 14 other states protecting people based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
While the bill’s protections in the workplace and public accommodations have been widely publicized, protection from housing discrimination for this new protected class has received little or no attention. This legislation makes it illegal for a housing provider to refuse to rent, sell or negotiate for the rental or sale of a dwelling because of the person’s gender identity or expression. The only housing providers exempt from this law are owners of two-family houses where the owner lives in one of the units and owners who rent out a room in their homes. To see a complete list of all the protected classes in Connecticut and housing provider exemptions, click here.
The Center will publicize this important protection to social service agencies, homeless shelters, and others who work with the transgendered community. In addition, the Center also plans to investigate discrimination against people based on the gender identity. We must know the extent of the discrimination before we can counteract its effects. Many landlords, housing managers, or real estate agents have difficulty keeping up with changes in the law unless they belong to an association of housing providers or are licensed real estate agents required to take continuing education courses. Publicizing this new protected class may result in stopping discrimination before it starts.
To read the full text of the law, click here.