Anti-LGBT Activist Leads Fight to Roll Back Trans* Protections in Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, former Republican committeewoman Chanel Prunier is joining an anti-LGBT group calling itself Keep MA Safe to rail against new legal protections for transgender residents in the state.

Anti-LGBT activists have launched an effort in Massachusetts to repeal a law that allows transgender residents of and visitors to the state to use public facilities consistent with their gender identity. 

 

Mass. Republican Gov. Charlie recently signed the transgender equality bill into law, but anti-gay activists refuse to ride the tide of equality—and they’re organizing to fight the law, with Chanel Prunier, the state’s former national Republican committeewoman, as their leader.

 

The Boston Globe reports that, “A committee called Keep MA Safe hopes to push forward a November 2018 ballot question that would repeal the new law, which allows transgender people to use bathrooms in public facilities that match their gender identity and protects transgender people from discrimination in museums, malls, libraries, restaurants, and other public accommodations.”

 

“Governor Baker signed into law a bill that eliminates the right to privacy and safety in public restrooms, locker-rooms, showers and changing facilities,” the group claims on its website. “We think that’s bad for Massachusetts, particularly for the millions of women and children who are likely to be most affected by it.”

 

The Globe’s Meg Bernhard continues, “The committee needs 32,375 certified signatures by Oct. 6 in order to have their question considered for the 2018 ballot. According to Andrew Beckwith, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute” — a notoriously anti-LGBT group supporting the referendum effort — “the committee only recently began its petition drive because it was waiting on petitions from the secretary of state’s office. The committee, he said, is ‘definitely acting with a sense of urgency.’

 

Prunier, who represents the party’s most conservative wing, lost her position as national committeewoman this spring after running for reelection. Gov. Baker did not endorse Prunier, instead backing state Representative Keiko Orrall. Prunier said she has been a supporter of Baker, but hasn’t interacted with him much since March. On his signing of the transgender public accommodations bill, Prunier wrote in an email she had hoped he would veto it.”

 

“Governor Baker is bowing to pressure from liberal elites and the politically correct crowd,” she ludicrously claimed.”

 

Gov. Baker has said he does not want any residents of Massachusetts subjected to the dangers of discrimination.

 


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