Miami Beach moves to protect transgendered people and domestic partner rights
BY CASEY WOODS


Miami Beach on Wednesday banned discrimination against transgendered people, a decision hailed by members of the gay, lesbian and transgender community as keeping the city at the forefront of protecting their rights.

The city commission also gave preliminary approval to an expansion of the ordinance that allows city employees to register their live-in domestic partners to receive many of the same rights given to a spouse.

The unanimous commission action on transgendered people modifies the city's human rights ordinance to prohibit discrimination against a category ranging from cross-dressers to those who have changed their sex through surgery.

It requires they be given equal rights in areas such as employment, housing, and public services.