New York Governor Hochul makes it illegal for utility companies to misgender, deadname customers

On Tuesday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed LGBTQ+ "protection bills" to commemorate transgender awareness week. But the one forcing companies to use preferred pronouns for customers is getting the most attention.

The press release is two-fold, as there’s another piece of legislation signed related to vacating convictions for offenses committed by sex trafficking victims. But the highlight of the Governor’s office has been "Legislation S.5325/A.6193." It’s a law that demands utility companies allow customers to use what preferred name and pronoun they want.

"Utilities would be prohibited from willfully and repeatedly failing to use a customer's preferred name and/or pronouns after being informed pursuant to this new section of law." the newly passed bill stipulates.

The legislation doesn’t come up much in Hochul’s video talking about it.

"This is what we just call common sense legislation that is long overdue. For a transgender individual, being misgendered, it’s traumatic. These are people with feelings and individuals who just deserve more than that. And to know that this is going on and causing them anguish, therefore, it causes me anguish. This is how I feel so deeply and passionately about the people of this state. We have an opportunity to bring back New York City, New York State. We value individuals, we value people, and we show love, respect, and dignity to all. It’s that simple, and I know that we can do this."

(According to the official page on the New York state website, the bill itself was introduced back in March of this year, before Hochul was in office.)

The main point the New York Governor conveys is how she’s a team player for the transgender community.

On Thursday, Governor Hochul made it clear on Twitter that her focus is currently on bringing back New York from the lows of the pandemic. To that end she’s even saying people need to "get back to the office" and to work amid the labor shortage, especially within the healthcare industry.

Kathy Hochul was brought in to replace the ousted Governor Andrew Cuomo. In that time, the New New York Governor has faced protests over the state’s vaccine mandates, extended the eviction moratoriums for the state, and publicly asked the social media platform Facebook to censor abortion "misinformation."