As a transgender woman in the male-dominated world of truck driving, Somersworth's Gerri Cannon drove all over the country.

"And I used the women's bathroom all over the country," Cannon said. "Five hundred thousand miles without any problems."

Cannon, an activist for transgender rights, said she does not foresee a law similar to the one recently passed in North Carolina, which requires people to use public bathrooms that correspond with the sex on their birth certificate rather than their gender identity, happening in New Hampshire.

"Here in New Hampshire, most people are pretty open minded," Cannon said. "With more liberal minds in New England, we have a better chance of getting more things approved, and that's where I see we're moving toward."

Dr. Joelle Ruby Ryan, a senior lecturer in women's studies at the University of New Hampshire and a transgender rights activist, noted New Hampshire is the only one of six New England states that does not have a law specifically protecting transgender rights. A bill that would have banned discrimination on transgender status was killed by a 5-0 vote by the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee in 2009.

Ryan said one strategy aimed at getting a statewide non-discrimination bill passed would be for towns and cities to pass their own ordinances or resolutions, with the hope that the Legislature takes up another non-discrimination bill after the 2016 elections.

"The town resolutions are to gain momentum going forward, so we have statewide discrimination protection like every other New England state," Ryan said.

The issue garnered more attention as the Obama administration on Friday issued guidance directing public schools to allow transgender students to use bathrooms matching their gender identity. While the guidance does not impose any new legal requirements, officials said it's meant to clarify expectations of school districts that receive federal funding.

A number of Seacoast communities have passed non-discrimination resolutions. The most recent was Newmarket. Its Town Council voted 5-2 earlier this month in favor of a resolution declaring the town will not discriminate against transgender individuals or those who identify as a different gender than the one assigned to them at birth.

In February, the school boards of both Portsmouth and Dover voted to adopt a policy pertaining to transgender and gender nonconforming students. Dover stated its policy's purpose is to provide "a safe and supportive learning environment for all students that is free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and intimidation." A month earlier, the Durham Town Council unanimously voted to pass a resolution to include anti-discrimination protection for transgender individuals in town policies regarding employment, housing and public accommodations.

Backlash against the North Carolina law has been strong, with some reports estimating that it could cost the state's tourism industry millions of dollars due to boycotts. Several musicians and groups have canceled events in the state while cities have blocked state-funded travel there. The U.S. Justice Department considers the law a violation of the 1964 federal Civil Rights Act and its ban on discrimination based on sex, and is challenging the law in court.

Another sign that the North Carolina law is facing strong national backlash came last week when President Obama — who has condemned the law — issued a directive telling schools to give transgender students access to all activities and facilities consistent with their gender identity.

It was the Durham resolution that inspired Newmarket Town Councilor Toni Weinstein to sponsor the resolution in her town.

"We didn't have anything in Newmarket (for transgender protections), and I didn't know that was the case," Weinstein said. "It was eye opening for me."

Weinstein said part of the resolution included a clause to request the state to put transgender protections in place by revisiting the failed 2009 bill.

"It's important to spell out the protections for transgender people," Weinstein said.

Newmarket Town Councilor Phil Nazzaro, who co-sponsored the resolution, said he hoped it would be a small step toward "a world where individuals are respected as individuals."

"I start everything from the idea from the idea that human rights are human rights," Nazzaro said. "They're given to us by the nature of our existence. This resolution affirms that we're not going to classify people by some label."

Ryan, a Newmarket resident who spoke at the Town Council meeting at which the resolution was passed, said the resolution was another step in the right direction.

"It's remarkable for me, as somebody who has been out as a transgender person for 25 years, to see the progress we've made," Ryan said. "Ultimately, I think we're going in the right direction. I'm heartened by the changes I've seen and the acceptance I've seen."

Ryan said she thinks opponents of transgender rights were emboldened by the U.S. Supreme Court's 2015 ruling that states cannot ban same-sex marriage.

"It's almost as if the opponents of that issue (gay marriage) have moved toward the transgender community," she said. "Now we see all these laws that target the transgender community, North Carolina being an extreme example."

Given the backlash against the North Carolina bill and the steps New Hampshire communities have taken to promote transgender-protection policies, it seems unlikely that New Hampshire would ever draw up a similar bill.

"Transgender people have been living in the state for a long time," Cannon said. "And for the most part we haven't seen any problems. It's a process, and I think it's worthwhile for people on both sides of the issue who may have concerns, to become educated about it."