Press Releases
09/05/2017
Gov. Malloy and Lt. Gov. Wyman Applaud Metro-North Decision to Discontinue Practice of Categorizing Passengers by Gender
(HARTFOD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy and Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman today are applauding the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Metro-North Railroad for discontinuing its long-standing practice of gender identification on monthly commuter rail passes.
Governor Malloy said, “All members of our community deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and we should not be using antiquated gender norms as a method of personal identification. The rights of the transgender community are under attack at the national level and we will not stand by silently as their rights are rolled back. I want to thank the MTA and Metro-North for taking this positive and proactive step forward in making all passengers feel welcome.”
Lt. Governor Wyman said, “I commend the MTA for their forward thinking and responsiveness. These are exactly the steps that, when taken in aggregate, make us more inclusive as a people and a nation.”
Monthly Metro-North passes are priced with significant discounts compared to full-priced single-trip fares and designed for use by one individual throughout the month, pass holders are prohibited from transferring their pass to others. The gender markings were designed to reduce the potential for unauthorized use of the pass. Metro-North has now taken steps to eliminate the practice of asking customers for their gender. The lead time to issue new employee guidelines, reprogram ticket vending machines and purchase new ticket stock required a phased approach.
The first step, begun in August, was to instruct crew members and ticket agents to not identify customers as male or female and not ask customers to select a gender. This month, ticket vending machines are being reprogrammed to eliminate the gender question. By January, new ticket stock paper will be introduced that removes the preprinted boxes for male and female.
Additionally, Governor Malloy will direct executive agencies to review policies that may include outdated gender identification practices.
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