Today, the Maryland House of Delegates righted a human rights travesty that took place in 2001. It was in that disgusting year a gay-only human rights law for the state passed that deliberately cut transpeople out of it.
That human rights wrong was corrected today when the Maryland House of Delegates voted 82-57 to pass SB 212, the Fairness for All Marylanders Act! This bill, unlike the unjust 2011 one I blasted all over these TransGriot pages at the time along with a coalition of trans people just as pissed off about the unjust bill, expand Maryland's anti-discrimination laws to protect transgender people in employment, housing, access to credit and public accommodations.
SB 212 passed the Maryland Senate on an overwhelming 32-15 vote.
Of course the right wing haters stuck on the wrong side of history tried to get amendments passed to strip out the public accommodations language and gut the bill, but they all failed in the Democratically controlled chamber.
Elections matter. Remember that on November 4.
"After more than 15 years of advocacy for trans Marylanders, the tremendous work by all our legislative champions, and the solid support of the leadership in Annapolis, history was made today. The House of Delegates sent the same loud and clear message the Maryland Senate did: Every Marylander deserves equal rights under the law. We welcome the Governor's promised signature and the full and successful implementation of this bill," said Jenna Fischetti of TransMaryland, an MCTE coalition member.
Congratulations Jenna, Maryland Coalition for Transgender Equality, the legislative sponsors, and everyone else in Maryland who busted their behinds to get this inclusive bill passed. I couldn't be happier for you and all my trans family living there to see this day finally happen. Transgender Marylanders now have legal recourse if someone messes with their human rights in their home state. Break out the crabcakes!
The bill now heads to Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) desk for his signature, and when he does sign it, Maryland will become the 18th state plus the District of Columbia in which the trans population of it will have full human rights coverage.
The haters aren't going to give up, and will attempt to force a referendum by collecting enough signatures to place it on the November ballot for repeal. The Maryland Coalition for Transgender Equality anticipated the Force of Intolerance, Maryland Division would go there. They are already shifting to the next phase and preparing to defend this hard won human rights bill.
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