Group Says Gender Stickers on SEPTA Passes Are An Affront
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A group mostly representing the transgender community is trying to put more pressure on SEPTA to ditch the stickers on transit passes that specify a rider's gender.
Organizer Max Ray of the group "Riders Against Gender Exclusion" (RAGE) says the stickers result in discrimination against people whose gender appearance doesn't fit expectations.
"It's more than you would think," Ray told KYW Newsradio Wednesday. "We know elderly people who don't identify as transgender or queer in any way. As they get older, their bodies just change."
Karen Brown is a RAGE supporter.
"The student passes also have a gender on them," she said. "Some of the young kids aren't quite developed, and they may look either male or female."
SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney says a transit pass is for the use of the person who bought it, not for, say, a husband to pass along to his wife and kids. He says the agency wants to discourage fraud on the system.
In addition, Maloney adds, they've set up a hot-line for complaints.
"We've had zero complaints. And they know about it," Maloney said of the RAGE group.
Reported by Steve Tawa, KYW Newsradio 1060.
