I am livid.

Donald Trump’s administration just announced its plans to begin DISCHARGING over 13,700 active transgender troops and DENY ENLISTMENT to anyone who refuses to serve in their gender "assigned at birth."

The Trump administration’s order says discharges will begin in just thirty days on April 12. There’s no time to waste. We have to stand up and make our voices heard right now.

Click here to sign our petition saying you stand with transgender servicemembers and oppose Donald Trump’s discriminatory and misguided transgender military ban.

My husband is a Marine, and he’ll tell you he doesn't care who is next to him as long as they know how to shoot an M16 A4 service rifle. This ban is nothing more than a discriminatory and mean-spirited attack on transgender Americans—no better or worse than Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

Military chiefs even testified in front of Congress that "they had seen no discipline, morale, or unit readiness problems with transgender troops serving openly in the military." But Donald Trump is barreling forward with his ban without regard to the facts.

Click here to add your name and tell Donald Trump: I support transgender servicemembers!

Donald Trump isn’t going to stop attacking LGBTQ Americans—and we’re never going to stop fighting back.

Thanks for standing with us. We can't do this work without you.

Christian Fuscarino
Executive Director
Garden State Equality

It’s time again for our supporters, community partners, advocates, and lawmakers alike to come together in Asbury Park and celebrate Garden State Equality’s historic work at the annual Equality Ball!

Please join us on May 31, 2019 at the Asbury Lanes for our third annual Equality Ball—our premier event and largest annual fundraiser!

Click here to buy your tickets or sponsorship package now!

Every day, our team is busy advocating for the LGBTQ community in our state and developing programs that will serve as models for other states, agencies, and organizations.

Because of your support each year at the Equality Ball, Garden State Equality is able to continue this remarkable and important work.

In a post-marriage world where many LGBTQ orgs are shrinking or shutting down, Garden State Equality is thriving as a national leader. We're doing innovative programmatic work to make our schools safer, expand access and quality of healthcare, and meet the needs of LGBTQ older adults. Plus, we're still passing transformative laws that reach and protect all New Jerseyans—including the second-in-the-nation LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum law and the historic Babs Siperstein Law.

Click here to buy your tickets or sponsorship package to The Equality Ball:

https://www.gardenstateequality.org/ball

We look forward to seeing you again this year for another incredible event!

As I’m sure you’ve heard by now, a so-called “family values” hate group is taking Garden State Equality to the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge New Jersey’s ban on gay and trans conversion therapy, which we passed in 2013.

Liberty Counsel—designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center—has an army of three hundred volunteer lawyers across the country, and they’ve been attacking LGBTQ people relentlessly since they formed in 1989. Now, they have their sights set on New Jersey. This is the same group that proudly declares that "homosexuality is wrong and unnatural" while trying to hide their hate behind the guise of "religious liberty.”

Believe me, this is going to be a tough fight. I was the first openly gay state bar president in New Jersey history. I am admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court Bar, and I’ve submitted briefs and stood before the Court. Above all else, I’m most proud for pushing litigation in the historic Garden State Equality v. Dow case, which delivered marriage equality to New Jersey.

Alongside me, we’ve assembled a strike team of prominent lawyers to repel this attack on our community. David Flugman of Selendy & Gay and Michael Gluck of GluckWalrath are leading the litigation at the Supreme Court for Garden State Equality, and I am joined by my fellow board member Robyn Gigl in coordinating a rapid legal response.

We need to mount the best fight possible here. We simply cannot leave anything up to chance.

Please rush a donation to our legal strike team right now to defend New Jersey's conversion therapy ban at the Supreme Court. Click here to contribute.

If the Supreme Court decides to hear this case, statewide bans on conversion therapy could be repealed across the country—endangering hundreds of thousands of children. It would be a disaster for the LGBTQ community.

The current administration is rolling back rights across the board, and Liberty Counsel is emboldened. Make no mistake, Garden State Equality is rising to fight this attack head-on.

Conversion therapy is child abuse, plain and simple. It inflicts a grievous harm on LGBTQ kids and young adults. It has a dangerous and destructive effect on their minds and hearts. The medical community has resoundingly rejected conversion therapy, with the American Psychiatric Association on record for over two decades opposing it, going so far as to say it causes "a significant risk of harm" and "undermines self-esteem.”

The science is clear, yet a few outliers insist on fighting for a constitutional right to irreparably abuse children and young adults.

Click here to contribute to our legal strike team and help us protect New Jersey's conversion therapy ban. No matter what you can give, every single dollar counts in this fight.

www.GardenStateEquality.org/ConversionTherapy

I'm heading back to work now. Thanks for reading—and for everything you do to protect equality.

Thomas H. Prol, Esq.
Board Member
Garden State Equality

The anti-LGBTQ hate group Liberty Counsel just filed with the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn New Jersey's ban on gay and trans conversion therapy—and they’ve named Garden State Equality in their suit.

If these radicals win at the Supreme Court, Trump’s justices could overturn New Jersey’s conversion therapy ban—and legalize this abusive practice across the country.

There’s no time to waste: Will you rush a donation right now to help us fight back against homophobic extremists at the Supreme Court? Click here to donate.

You know as well as I do just how destructive this discredited practice is. LGBTQ conversion therapy is child abuse, plain and simple, which is why every major medical and psychiatric association has universally rejected it as dangerous pseudoscience.

We need your help: Click here to donate now

Banning conversion therapy is settled science—and settled law. With your help, we can defeat this bigoted attack at the Supreme Court and protect children across New Jersey and the nation from this dangerous abuse.

Every dollar counts in this fight. No matter what you can give, chip in here.

Thanks for all you do.

Two hundred. Twenty. Two. Laws.

You read that right. We’ve passed 222 civil rights laws in New Jersey protecting the LGBTQ community. And we’re not slowing down, because there’s more work to do.

In 2019, we’re going to ban the gay and trans panic defense, work to end LGBTQ youth homelessness, fight back against Trump’s transgender military ban, and push to pass the Equality Act. And we’ll continue our existing work for the LGBTQ community to build safe schools, expand healthcare, and support older adult populations.

We need your help. Will you donate $25 right now to help us pass more pro-equality laws in 2019?

In the last 12 months, we passed six new pro-equality laws that make our state stronger and safer for LGBTQ people.

Just last week alone: Governor Murphy signed the LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum bill into law—the second of its kind in the entire nation—and the historic Babs Siperstein Law went into effect, allowing transgender New Jerseyans to update their birth certificate without restrictions.

Help us secure more pro-LGBTQ laws in New Jersey and defeat Trump’s anti-equality agenda. Will you donate right now to fund our work?

We know this fight means just as much to you as it does to us, and that’s why we need your help. We never would have made this much historic progress without you.

www.GardenStateEquality.org/222

Thanks for all you do.

Garden State Equality

Garden State Equality mourns the loss of transgender activist and icon Barbra “Babs” Siperstein—namesake of New Jersey’s historic birth certificate law

ASBURY PARK, NJ - Tonight, Garden State Equality has learned of the passing of transgender activist and icon Barbra “Babs” Casbar Siperstein.

Barbra, a Jersey City native, passed away at the age of 76 on Sunday evening at RWJBarnabas Health in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She was surrounded by family, friends, and her loving partner and companion Dorothy.

“Babs was a towering figure in the LGBTQ community who worked tirelessly to advance the rights of transgender people over the last two decades. She was an architect of our movement, pioneering critical civil rights legislation here in New Jersey and, as the first openly transgender member of the Democratic National Committee, throughout our nation. With Babs, we had an LGBTQ icon—among the likes of Harvey Milk, Sylvia Rivera, and Bayard Rustin—born and raised right here in the Garden State. With the Babs Siperstein Law in effect now, every transgender New Jerseyan who updates their birth certificate will be reminded of Babs and her courage. Babs’ work has touched countless lives and will continue to do so, and we will ensure her legacy is remembered for generations to come,” said Garden State Equality Executive Director Christian Fuscarino.

“Babs— like no other—was instrumental in passing many of the 200+ LGBTQ civil rights laws and policies that Garden State Equality has secured in its fifteen year history. This is a tremendous loss for our community, and she will be sorely missed. Since the nascent days of Garden State Equality, Babs pushed us all to embrace an unmitigated pro-equality campaign that left no member of our community behind. Babs was truly unmatched and taught us all to never back down,” said Tom Prol, a longtime board member of Garden State Equality.

Barbra’s passing comes just two days after the Babs Siperstein Law—New Jersey’s historic birth certificate law bearing her name—went into effect. The Babs Siperstein Law streamlines the process for New Jerseyans to change the gender marker on their birth certificate, removing the outdated, burdensome, and invasive “proof of surgery” requirement; adding a third gender option (“X” for non-binary/undesignated); and removing the provider certification (e.g. - letter from a therapist) and replacing it with Self Attestation.

In 2009, Barbra became the first openly transgender member of the Democratic National Committee, where she was appointed by then-chairman Tim Kaine. She was appointed to the Democratic National Committee's Executive Committee in 2011, where she served until October 2017.

After coming out in 2000, Barbra was a longtime activist for LGBTQ equality in New Jersey who served as an original board member for Garden State Equality. Most notably, over the course of her advocacy in New Jersey, Barbra helped advocate for marriage equality, transgender inclusive nondiscrimination protections, and most recently the Babs Siperstein Law.

Babs was an Army veteran, small business owner, and parent of three.

On behalf of our board, staff, and membership, Garden State Equality extends our deepest sympathies to Barbra’s family, and we are eternally grateful for her contributions to our organization, the state of New Jersey, and LGBTQ people across our nation.

Garden State Equality celebrates historic Babs Siperstein Law, which removes birth certificate restrictions for transgender and non-binary New Jerseyans

ASBURY PARK, NJ - Beginning today, the “Babs Siperstein Law” will go into effect, allowing transgender and non-binary New Jerseyans to update their birth certificate to match their gender identity without invasive, outdated, or burdensome “proof of surgery” restrictions.

"The Babs Siperstein law is a historic, life-changing moment for transgender New Jerseyans,” said Garden State Equality Executive Director Christian Fuscarino. “New Jersey has always been a leader for LGBTQ equality, and this law moves us one step further in bringing dignity, respect, and affirmation to every transgender person in our state. I’m grateful to Governor Murphy and our lawmakers—both Republicans and Democrats—for ensuring that equality reaches everyone in New Jersey.”

The Babs Siperstein Law, named for New Jersey transgender activist Barbra “Babs” Siperstein and advocated for by Garden State Equality, was signed into law by Governor Philip Murphy on July 3, 2018.

The law streamlines the process for New Jerseyans to change the gender marker on their birth certificate, removing the outdated, burdensome, and invasive “proof of surgery” requirement; adding a third gender option (“X” for non-binary/undesignated); and removing the provider certification (e.g. - letter from a therapist) and replacing it with Self Attestation. This allows many in our state, including transgender, intersex, and non-binary people, to have full recognition in New Jersey.

“With the previous law, it was invasive and burdensome. You shouldn’t have to produce medical records. You shouldn’t have to say, ‘I had this surgery’ to have your identity affirmed,” said Garden State Equality Director of Policy Aaron Potenza. “Most people walk through life without their gender identity ever questioned, but when you’re forced to show your documents and they don’t reflect who you are, that incongruence invites discrimination.”

Transgender, non-binary, and intersex New Jerseyans need access to identity documents that accurately reflect the gender they live everyday, which is not necessarily the gender they were assigned at birth. We all use identity documents for important tasks such as enrolling ourselves or our children in school and college, applying for a job, opening a bank account, and applying for an apartment or mortgage. At other times we are compelled to show our identity documents, such as at a routine traffic stop. Having documentation that matches one’s gender is vitally important, as mismatches between a person’s gender identity and their identity documents can and does result in discrimination and harassment.

The 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey showed that almost one third (32%) of transgender people who have shown ID’s that do not match their gender presentation had negative experiences, including verbal harassment (25%), denial of services or benefits (16%), being asked to leave (9%), and being assaulted or attacked (2%). This law will allow transgender, non-binary, and intersex New Jerseyans to access identity documents that match their lived experience, which is truly life saving.

New Jersey now joins 15 other states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. in expanding dignity and equality to transgender people by removing “proof of surgery” requirements and becomes the 4th state to add a non-binary designation.

For Garden State Equality’s FAQ guide on the Babs Siperstein Law and procedures for updating one’s birth certificate, please visit: https://www.gardenstateequality.org/faq

Governor Phil Murphy Signs LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum Legislation—Second in the Nation

BOEs required to include and adopt instructional materials that accurately portray persons with disabilities and LGBTQ individuals.

ASBURY PARK, NJ - Today, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a law requiring Boards of Education to include instruction, and adopt instructional materials, that accurately portray political, economic, and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.

This law would require that LGBTQ Americans, as well as Americans with disabilities, are included and recognized for their significant historic contributions to the economic, political, and social development of New Jersey and the United States. Specifically, this legislation would add LGBTQ people and individuals with disabilities to the existing list of underrepresented cultural and ethnic groups, which are covered by current law related to inclusion in textbooks and other instructional materials in schools.

“It’s critical that our classrooms highlight the achievements of LGBTQ people throughout history. Our youth deserve to see how diverse American history truly is—and how they can be a part of it one day, too,” said Executive Director of Garden State Equality Christian Fuscarino. “I’m thankful to Governor Murphy for making New Jersey the second state in the nation to have a law promoting LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum.”

This law would bring classroom materials into alignment with Core Curriculum Content Standards by ensuring that students receive diverse instruction in history and the social sciences, which will cultivate respect towards minority groups, allow students to appreciate differences, and acquire the skills and knowledge needed to function effectively with people of various backgrounds.

“As a former educator and someone who did their doctoral work in the history of sexuality, this bill is particularly close to my heart,” said Policy Director of Garden State Equality Aaron Potenza. “I know the importance of this history to American history as well as the impact of representation for LGBTQ identified students.”

Garden State Equality gives thanks to coalition partners: GLSEN Central NJ, Shore Area NOW, Make it Better for Youth, and the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice for their work and collaboration on making this bill become reality. The organization gives additional thanks to the bill’s prime sponsors, Senators Loretta Weinberg, Teresa Ruiz, Assemblypersons Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Mila Jasey, Joann Downey, and former Assemblypersons Reed Gusciora and Tim Eustace.

For more information on the Assembly Bill A1335, visit GLSEN Central New Jersey’s A1335 Fact Sheet.

This page was last updated February 3, 2020.

What is the Babs Siperstein Law?

The Babs Siperstein Law, named for New Jersey transgender activist Barbra “Babs” Siperstein, was signed into law by Governor Philip Murphy. The law goes into effect February 1, 2019.

The law streamlines the process for New Jerseyans to change the gender marker on their birth certificate, removing the outdated, burdensome, and invasive “proof of surgery” requirement; adding a third gender option (“X” for non-binary/undesignated); and removing the provider certification (e.g. - letter from a therapist) and replacing it with Self Attestation.

This allows many in our state, including transgender, intersex, and non-binary people, to have full recognition in New Jersey.

Why is this law important?

Transgender, non-binary, and intersex New Jerseyans need access to identity documents that accurately reflect the gender they live everyday, which is not necessarily the gender they were assigned at birth. We all use identity documents for important tasks such as enrolling ourselves or our children in school and college, applying for a job, opening a bank account, and applying for an apartment or mortgage. At other times we are compelled to show our identity documents, such as at a routine traffic stop. Having documentation that matches one’s gender is vitally important, as mismatches between a person’s gender identity and their identity documents can and does result in discrimination and harassment. The 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey showed that almost one third (32%) of transgender people who have shown ID’s that do not match their gender presentation had negative experiences, including verbal harassment (25%), denial of services or benefits (16%), being asked to leave (9%), and being assaulted or attacked (2%). This law will allow transgender, non-binary, and intersex New Jerseyans to access identity documents that do match their lived experience, which is truly life saving.

What is the difference between transgender, non-binary, and intersex?

Transgender people are those whose gender identity does not match the gender they were assigned at birth. Non-binary is a term that is often used by people whose gender is not exclusively male or female, including those who identify with a gender other than male or female, with more than one gender, or with no gender at all. Intersex refers to a person whose sexual or reproductive anatomy, or chromosomal pattern, does not seem to fit typical definitions of male or female.

How do I change the gender marker on my New Jersey birth certificate (for adults)?

As of February 1, 2019, New Jersey will re-issue a birth certificate when an applicant wishes to update their gender marker, legal name, or both. An applicant can apply for an updated birth certificate by submitting:

• A completed and signed Request Form and Attestation to Amend Sex Designation on a Birth Certificate for an Adult to reflect Gender Identity
• If changing the name, a certified copy of the court order granting the name change.
• Proof of identity. Submit proof of identity (in the form of government-issued identification)
  establishing that the requestor is the subject of the birth certificate to be amended.
• A check/money order for $6.00 (subject to change) payable to Treasurer, State of New Jersey.

Amendment requests are not accepted in-person. You must mail the completed application to:

Office of Vital Statistics & Registry – Records Modification Unit
NJ Department of Health
P.O. Box 370
Trenton, NJ 08625-0370

After processing, the original birth certificate will be placed under seal, and the updated birth certificate will be issued and will not show an amended status.

How do I change the gender marker and/or name on my child’s NJ birth certificate (for minors)?

If you are the parent or guardian of a minor child (under the age of 18) who has a New Jersey birth certificate and who does not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth, you may change the gender marker on your child’s birth certificate by following the process outlined below. To change your child’s name on their birth certificate (or on any identity document) you will need a certified copy of the court order granting the name change. You can apply for an updated birth certificate for your minor child by submitting:

• A completed and signed Parent/Guardian Request Form and Attestation to Amend Sex Designation on a Birth Certificate for a Minor to Reflect Gender Identity
• If changing the name, a certified copy of the court order granting the name change.
• Proof of identity: Parent. If you are requesting the amendment on behalf of a minor and you are the minor’s parent, you must provide your full name as it appears on the minor’s birth certificate, along with government-issued identification showing your full legal name (if your current legal name is different than what appears on the minor’s birth certificate, submit legal name change court order, or marriage certificate).
• Proof of identity: Guardian. If you are requesting the amendment on behalf of a minor and you are the minor’s guardian, you must provide government-issued identification showing your full legal name along with the certified copy of the court order appointing you as the guardian of the minor.
• A check/money order for $6.00 (subject to change) payable to Treasurer, State of New Jersey.

Amendment requests are not accepted in-person. You must mail the completed application to:

Office of Vital Statistics & Registry – Records Modification Unit
NJ Department of Health
P.O. Box 370
Trenton, NJ 08625-0370

After processing, the original birth certificate will be placed under seal, and the updated birth certificate will be issued and will not show an amended status.

Do I need a court order to change my gender marker?

No. If you have a New Jersey birth certificate, you do not need a court order to change your gender marker. For instructions on how to change your gender marker see our above guide on changing your gender marker on your New Jersey birth certificate.

I have a birth certificate issued by another state/jurisdiction. Can I change my gender marker in New Jersey?

New Jersey cannot issue a birth certificate to a person born in another state or foreign jurisdiction. However, if you are a New Jersey resident AND you were born in a state that requires a court order to update a birth certificate, beginning February 1, 2019, the courts in New Jersey have the authority to issue a court order to reflect a change in gender. You will need to submit to the court a statement affirming under penalty of perjury that the request for a declaration of (female, male, or undesignated/non-binary) gender is to conform with your gender identity and not for any fraudulent purpose. For information on which states require a court order, and specifics on what the court order must attest to, see National Center for Transgender Equality: Identity Document Center.

How do I change the gender marker on my New Jersey license?

You can change the M/F gender marker on your New Jersey driver license by self attestation by visiting an MVC agency. You must submit:

• A completed and signed Declaration of Gender Designation Change for New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Driver License or Non-Driver Identification Card.
• Surrender your current driver license or identification card.
• The standard fee of $11.00 to obtain a duplicate.

If I have an “X” marker on my New Jersey birth certificate, can I get an “X” marker on my New Jersey license?

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission is working on implementing these changes by January 2021. We do not have a roll out date for “X” markers on New Jersey driver licenses at present, but stay tuned, as we will be updating our website and sharing that announcement as soon as it is made.

If I have an X marker on my New Jersey birth certificate, can I get an X marker on my passport?

At present the U.S. federal government only has “male” and “female” options on federally issued identity documents (passport, social security cards, green cards, etc.). With an “X” marker on your New Jersey birth certificate you will still be able to get a passport and social security card. Unfortunately you will need to select “male” or “female” on that form. See below for more information about changing your gender on your U.S. passport and with the Social Security Administration.

Is it an issue for my gender marker on various identity documents to be different?

While it is neither illegal nor unusual for gender markers to vary (for instance you may have an “F” gender marker on your U.S. passport, and an “X” marker on your New Jersey birth certificate) it can reduce bureaucratic hassles to have your gender markers match on all documentation.

Are there gender neutral options for how a parent is listed on their child’s birth certificate?

Yes. Same-gender couples who are either married, or in a civil union, can be listed as “Parent” and “Parent”, rather than as “Mother” and “Father” on their child’s birth certificate.

If I have a newborn child, can I get an "X" marker on their birth certificate?

No. The “non-binary/undesignated” is only available to individuals seeking to amend their birth certificates. It is not an available option at the time of birth for the child’s original birth certificate. The sex designation categories for a child’s original birth certificate are male, female or not yet determined.

The “Not Yet Determined” designation is only used for limited purposes in cases when an infant’s sex is not determined by health care providers at birth. This category is not for general use.

For more information on changing your state or federal identity documents you can contact Garden State Equality directly at contact@gardenstateequality.org, or visit one of the following resources:

National Center for Transgender Equality: Identity Document Center

Movement Advancement Project: Identity Document Laws and Policies

If you encounter any difficulties changing your state-issued identification please contact Garden State Equality at: contact@gardenstateequality.org