Maryland Notches Another Victory for LGBT Rights

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gov-martin-omalley/maryland-notches-another_b_5051443.html?utm_hp_ref=dc&ir=DC

Gov. Martin O'Malley, Governor of Maryland
The Huffington Post Blog, Posted: 03/28/2014 3:26 pm EDT

In a major victory for dignity and equality in the State of Maryland, yesterday the House of Delegates followed the Senate in passing the Fairness for All Marylanders Act of 2014. This new law prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity in public accommodations, housing, and employment. This was a major piece of unfinished business in my agenda -- similar protections were enacted in Baltimore City in 2002 when I was mayor, and I issued an executive order in 2007 that added gender identity and expression protections for state employees -- and I will proudly sign the bill into law.

In addition to expressing my pride and delight that the governor of my state took time to write about how important transgender rights are, I also want to call attention to one particular paragraph:

QuoteWhat gives me hope is what I've seen and heard during debates on LGBT equality in Maryland. Our representative democracy works best when everyone's views are heard and respected. Many Senators and Delegates acknowledged their struggle to understand the issues from the perspective of the LGBT community. But they also expressed the fact that their constituents' testimony moved them. They understand what we understand: To govern effectively is to continually evolve and to keep your heart and your mind open to learning something new and to seeing the world through another's eyes.

I have heard many site members here emphatically state that no one is interested in our struggles and our community is better off if we keep our heads down.

I was in the legislative committee chambers when testimony was taken. I saw the eyes of the legislators upon me when I spoke about my concerns as a transgender taxpayer and voter.

And I saw a legislator that had been a highly visible opponent of this bill, unexpectedly take our side during the opposing testimony after hearing from me and other transgender people there.

When people see the REALITY of what it is to be trans, rather than relying only on their imaginations or on what the media (and our detractors) depict, they make more informed decisions.

Our community MUST take responsibility for educating decision makers and voters about our concerns. NOBODY ELSE will do it!

BRAVO Suzi, BRAVO.  Both for your state and for you personally.  I too see people who think we should just fade into the woodwork and suffer our sordid fate.  You did what any citizen, Cis or Trans* was entitled to do, namely appear as a citizen and voter before your elected representatives and voice ordinary human concerns for dignity and safety.  In your moment there was NOT "in the face activism" that was an attempt to limit the rights of others, merely an assertion of your humanness and your right to speak in affairs that involve you.  BRAVO.

And, Oh Yeah  HUGGGGGGS

I really hope this doesn't get forced to a referendum the way marriage equality was two years ago. The heartless man who spearheaded that effort, Del. Neil Parrott, has been freaking out about this bill, dragging out the usual bathroom tropes and talking about starting a petition. Fingers crossed that if they do, they fail to gather enough signatures, like the anti-AB1266 effort in California did.

Quote from: บ้านสิริรอดชีวิต on April 05, 2014, 07:17:24 AM
I really hope this doesn't get forced to a referendum the way marriage equality was two years ago. The heartless man who spearheaded that effort, Del. Neil Parrott, has been freaking out about this bill, dragging out the usual bathroom tropes and talking about starting a petition. Fingers crossed that if they do, they fail to gather enough signatures, like the anti-AB1266 effort in California did.

If it comes to a vote, I hope we can use this as an opportunity to educate the public about who we are.