Protections Against Discrimination for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming New Yorkers

If you have faced discrimination because of who you are, let us know about it.

The NYC Commission on Human Rights is the City agency that enforces and educates on the City Human Rights Law, one of the most robust civil rights laws in the nation. Under the NYC Human Rights Law, it is illegal to discriminate based on actual or perceived gender identity or gender expression. This includes all transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) individuals. The law's protections cover discrimination in many places, including at work, at school, in housing, and in public spaces, such as restaurants, movie theaters, or parks. The law also protects TGNC communities against retaliation, discriminatory harassment, and bias-based profiling by law enforcement.

It is difficult to overstate the challenges facing so many New Yorkers in the current political climate. That's why, as we celebrate and support NYC TGNC communities during Pride month, the Commission also wants to reaffirm their rights under the Law and make sure they know how to get help if they are being harassed or discriminated against.

Discrimination Can Look Like:

• A doctor refuses a transgender woman hormone therapy, but provides similar hormone treatments to cisgender women for menopause.
• Security guards at a nightclub deny entry to a transgender woman, claiming her appearance doesn't match the "M" on her ID.
• A company requires gender-specific uniforms and refuses to provide dress code options for non-binary employees, insisting they dress according to the gender on their ID.
• A landlord learns an applicant is intersex and rejects her application making derogatory comments that she is not a "real woman.”

What To Do If You're Discriminated Against

If you have experienced discrimination, we can help. Contact the NYC Commission on Human Rights at (212) 416-0197 or use this online form to report your case. Whether in employment, housing, or places of public accommodations, if you have faced discrimination because of who you are, let us know about it. You can even do it anonymously and we never ask about your immigration status.

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