Miami Beach protects transgendered people

The gay-friendly resort city of Miami Beach, Fla., voted unanimously on Wednesday to include transgendered people in its antidiscrimination ordinance. The city commission changed the definition of gender in its ordinance to include "gender-related self-identity, self-image, appearance, expression or behavior, whether or not such gender-related characteristics differ from those associated with the individual's assigned sex at birth." Before the vote, the law banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, and sexual orientation. More than 50 cities, 11 counties, and four states have similar laws protecting transgendered people. Key West and Monroe County had been the only two areas in Florida to ban discrimination against the transgendered. "It was the right decision to make, the right thing to do," Miami Beach mayor David Dermer said. "Miami Beach continues to be in the forefront of human rights legislation. There is no room for discrimination in Miami Beach."