A Federated States of Micronesia senator from Yap introduced legislation recently, seeking to ban transgender people from working in the FSM government.

Isaac Figir introduced C.B. 20-261, which states, "No transgender person may be employed by the National Government of the Federated States of Micronesia."

The measure was introduced on Nov. 13 and lawmakers haven't taken any action on it yet.

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Eddie Nathan Winis, a former Guam resident and advocate for LGBTQ rights, criticized the bill. "Why can't a transgender work in the National Government of the Federated States of Micronesia? Our government is corrupt and doing much more harm to our people than any homosexual in our community," Winis said.

Winis, a gay Chuukese man, is living in the mainland currently and making a name for himself as a makeup artist.

It was upsetting to learn about the proposed ban on having transgender people work in government. "Especially for me as a gay Chuukese that is trying to spread awareness to my people that we are all equal and we should be treated equally," he said.

Winis has a large following online, with over 10,000 users following his Instagram account and another 1,200 followers on Twitter.

"A lot of my followers know how much I am against discrimination and also how much I talk about our government," Winis said.

Winis said he was, however, happy that Speaker Wesley Simina introduced a bill that outlawed discrimination of sexual orientation.

FSM legislators, however, did pass another bill, C.B. 20-258, last month which would make it illegal for people to discriminate against a person based on their sexual orientation.

The bill to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation was opposed by Chuuk State senator Florencio Singkoro Harper.

"I don't want to be considered as an advocate of homosexuality," Harper said in the November special session. "I know we're trying to imitate the other advanced countries that supports this kind of arrangement or relationship. But at the same time I'm looking at the recommendation of the Vatican and the Vatican isn't really supporting this kind of relationship, therefore I maintain my position on not supporting this."

Three states, Yap, Chuuk and Pohnpei, voted in favor of the discrimination bill. Kosrae voted against it.

Notably, Figir voted in favor of C.B. 20-258, stating "Of course, yes."

Winis said it's important that people know and understand how voting works so that residents vote in the people who will better the islands.

Several phone calls to Yap Congressional Delegation Office in an effort to reach Figir were unanswered on Wednesday.