Gov. Cuomo releases the first-ever Gender Identity Toolkit to all state agencies

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – In honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance, Governor Cuomo announced the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations has released the first-ever Gender Identity Toolkit to all state agencies. The toolkit will serve as a key training resource for all state employees to ensure transgender and gender non-conforming New Yorkers receive non-discriminatory, high quality services when interacting with or while being employed by the State.

Additionally, in recognition of Transgender Day of Remembrance and to honor the transgender people who have been lost to hate violence this year, landmarks across the state will be illuminated in colors of the transgender flag — pink, white and light blue. These include:

• 1WTC
• The Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
• The Kosciuszko Bridge
• The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
• The State Education Building
• The Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
• The New York State Fairgrounds – Main Gate
• Niagara Falls
• The Franklin D. Roosevelt Mid-Hudson Bridge
• Grand Central Terminal – Pershing Square Viaduct
• The Albany International Airport Gateway

“Our state is the birthplace of the LGBTQ rights movement and as we observe Transgender Day of Remembrance and remember those we have lost to violence, we are doubling down on our commitment to protecting and expanding the rights of transgender and gender non-conforming New Yorkers,” Governor Cuomo said. “Transgender and gender non-conforming people still face discrimination every day, making it all the more critical to ensure New York’s state workforce has the tools, resources and understanding necessary to ensure New York always upholds the principles of dignity, respect and inclusivity.”

The Gender Identity Toolkit provides a primer that will help define frequently used terms and acronyms; important information for supervisory and human resources staff; guidelines for providing appropriate customer service to transgender and gender non-conforming customers; guidance on the correct use of names and pronouns; best practices for the proper conduct and language in the workplace, relevant laws, policies, and regulatory activities; and transition planning guidance for transgender and gender non-conforming employees.