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Transgender People Get More Rights, in Life and Death, in New Jersey

For the first time, transgender people living in New Jersey have the legal right to alter the sex recorded on their birth and death certificates, under new laws enacted Tuesday by Gov. Phil Murphy.

For the first time, transgender people living in New Jersey have the legal right to alter the sex recorded on their birth and death certificates, under new laws enacted Tuesday by Gov. Phil Murphy.

There are an estimated 30,100 transgender people living in New Jersey and about 1.4 million transgender people living in the United States, according to a 2016 report by the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. 

There are 30,100 transgender New Jersey residents, according to a recent report.

People whose gender identity conflicts with their sex at birth face unique forms of discrimination that lesbian and gay people do not. Christian Fuscarino, executive director of Garden State Equality, lauded Murphy and members of the Legislature for "seeing that equality reaches everyone in New Jersey."

"Transgender people have long stood in solidarity with LGB people and here at Garden State Equality we make sure nobody is left behind," Fuscarino said.

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
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