In the first statewide referendum on transgender rights Tuesday, Massachusetts affirmed the decision to continue to provide legal protections to transgender persons. At current count, two-thirds of the electorate voted yes on ballot question 3.

The measure is to keep in place the current law prohibiting gender identity discrimination in places of public accommodation. The law defines gender identity as “a person’s sincerely held gender-related identity, appearance, or behavior, whether or not it is different from that traditionally associated with the person’s physiology or assigned sex at birth.” The law requires that places that have separate areas for males and females, such as restrooms and locker areas, allow persons to have full use of the areas consistent with the person’s gender identity. Signage or advertising seen as discriminatory is also prohibited.

Opponents of the law, advocacy group Keep Massachusetts Safe, gathered enough signatures for the referendum because of the concern that the current law “endangers the privacy and safety of women and children in public bathrooms, locker rooms, showers, dressing rooms, and other intimate places, because anyone—regardless of intentions or anatomy—can be there at any given time.” The electorate was not convinced.

The election took on new meaning, in light recent reports of the Trump administration’s proposal to redefine “sex” under the Department of Health and Human Services.

Many colleges and universities were concerned if the ballot measured had failed how they would continue to uphold policies necessary to protect the comfort, safety and dignity of transgender students. The University of Massachusetts released a statement that it would continue to uphold the policy, even if it was incongruent with the state laws.

Yes on 3 campaign co-chair Kasey Suffredini said regarding the victory, “From the very early days of our campaign, we have been clear that this is about dignity and respect for all people. Together, we have shattered broken stereotypes of what it means to be transgender and debunked the myth—once and for all—that protecting transgender people compromises the safety of others. Winning this popular vote is irrefutable proof that public support for transgender people is growing, and tonight’s outcome will provide the necessary momentum to change the landscape on transgender rights everywhere.”