On Tuesday, Colorado lawmakers passed a landmark bill aimed at strengthening protections for transgender people in the state. After the Senate passed the measure, the House quickly approved the amendments, clearing the way for the legislation to be signed into law by the governor.

“In a time where trans people are feeling lost, alone, terrorized, and unsafe let this bill be a message. Trans people deserve to live,” Z Williams, co-executive director of Bread and Roses Legal Center, told Truthout. “Trans people can win. Trans people belong.”

Named in honor of Kelly Loving — a transgender woman killed in the Club Q shooting — the Kelly Loving Act includes several provisions designed to make Colorado a safer, more affirming place for trans people. The bill was developed in collaboration with Bread and Roses, which consulted with hundreds of trans Coloradans to identify key areas of need.

“This bill’s needed because if transgender residents were never harassed, denied services, or mocked in official settings, additional clarification would be unnecessary,” Democratic State Sen. Chris Kolker said Tuesday. “The lived evidence shows that gaps persist.”

One of the most significant provisions of the Kelly Loving Act defines deadnaming and misgendering as discriminatory acts under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA), reinforcing the state’s commitment to affirming the identities of trans people. Colorado Newsline reports that although the bill no longer uses the terms “deadnaming” or “misgendering,” the revised language still treats a deliberate refusal to acknowledge a transgender person’s identity — such as refusing to use their chosen name — as a form of discrimination.

“As an employment lawyer and a trans Coloradan, I am thrilled with the passage of the Kelly Loving Act, which — among many critical advancements — validates the basic human right to be recognized by their chosen name: a name that reflects who........

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