Competition among activists in Maryland

[ThePhoenix]

This op-ed piece appeared in the Washington Blade:

http://www.washingtonblade.com/2013/12/09/maryland-advocates-must-unite-to-pass-trans-bill-transgender-community-protections-equality/

It deals with the extraordinary competition between organizations (Gender Rights Maryland and Maryland Coalition for Trans Equality) that ostensibly all support the goal of passing a statewide gender identity protection bill.  This competition has reached as far as the groups actively suppressing one another's activity in support of the bill.

I think the piece pretty much narrows it in terms of needing to stop the competition.  As someone who knows most of the players fairly well, I think that the egos involved are rather out of hand.  There seems to be a lot of "if I can't be the hero who got it done then no one can" going on.

[Eva Marie]

That's sad to read that kind of stuff is going on in the transgender community. They have surely lost their focus on what the ultimate goal is, and the infighting is going to leave a bad impression on non-trans people.

Benjamin Franklin's quote comes to mind: "You must all hang together, or assuredly you shall all hang separately"

[ThePhoenix]

That's sad to read that kind of stuff is going on in the transgender community. They have surely lost their focus on what the ultimate goal is, and the infighting is going to leave a bad impression on non-trans people.

Benjamin Franklin's quote comes to mind: "You must all hang together, or assuredly you shall all hang separately"

I agree.  I've had people ask what to do about the situation.  This week I've suggested sending a copy of this op-ed to the leaders at Gender Rights Maryland and the Maryland Coalition for Trans Equality.  It saddens me that the community stands by and allows this all to happen rather than rising up and demanding that these people get their egos under control and get the job done.

Last year, the Coalition proposed a "show your papers" amendment that would have expressly authorized businesses to demand that trans* people using the restroom provide proof that they were not trying to commit a crime.  That amendment was proposed as a way to make the bill referendum proof, but it led to a major smack down of the Coalition by the community.  I don't understand why the same thing doesn't happen here. 

[gennee]

When the opposition sees this, it's no wonder that they don't take them seriously. 

[ThePhoenix]

The Board Chair of Gender Rights Maryland wrote an op-ed piece in Baltimore OutLoud that also deals with the fighting among groups.  Alas, instead of coming together to heal wounds and get the work done, this piece comes across as very angry.  It names some actions by the other advocates and blames them for what has happened.  It takes no responsibility for any mistakes Gender Rights Maryland might have done, but it does promise more revelations.

Perhaps I am wrong in reading this as a response to the editorial calling for unity, but it's quite a coincidence, and quite an insight into the fighting that is going on among groups in Maryland. 

Here is the piece:
http://www.baltimoreoutloud.com/lgbtq-news/maryland/item/2290-a-house-of-cards-part-1

[ThePhoenix]

Whoa.  Gender Rights Maryland was not even mentioned on that opinion piece.  It only asked for unity and cooperation.  But Gender Rights Maryland wrote a rebuttal that consists of little else besides personally attacking the author of the first op ed.  Why would anyone write a rebuttal to something that just says it would be nice to cooperate?

Here it is.

http://www.washingtonblade.com/2013/12/15/juvenile-attacks-hamper-effort-pass-md-trans-bill/

The plot thickens!!