Maryland HB 235 Dies!

The Maryland Senate just voted 27-20 to send HB 235, the Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Act back to the Judicial Proceedings Committee.

Translation:  The unjust bill is dead for this session.    It will officially rest in peace at the close of business at midnight, so while this is good news, can't start partying and drinking those appletinis until 12:01 AM EDT.

Thanks to all the people who rose up and fought the Gay, Inc steamroller that tried to force this travesty of a bill on the trans community of Maryland.    

Now that this one is dead, what's next?

First order of business is for InEquality Maryland to recognize the fact that they need to listen to the entire trans community of Maryland, not just the well to do vanilla flavored segments of it that are kissling their behinds.

You also need to recognize that it is the trans community needs to control our political destiny, and not the other way around.   You need to follow our lead as the ally, not set the agenda to benefit you.   The trans community desires legislation that will FIX the problems that ail us, not make them more difficult to navigate.

Let's hope you keep that in mind in 2012.     If you don't, then we'll have to go through this kill the bill crap again until you get it.
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The Clock Ticks Toward HB235's Death

Despite the best efforts of InEquality Maryland and the deceptive spin coming from the pro-HB 235 crowd over this unjust bill, even they can't stop the passage of time. 

Today is the last day of the Maryland legislative session.   If it doesn't get voted on today and passed by midnight, it dies.

Tick, tick tick

There was more drama Saturday as amendments to HB 235 were proposed and voted on in the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.   Three were rejected that sought to make the unjust bill even more worthless than it already is.    One sought to take housing off the protected list, while a GOP legislator sought to take housing and employment off the protected list

The amendment that was adopted .was from Sen. Brian Frosh (D-Montgomery) was a language change to take out protections against discrimination based on "appearance, expression or behavior" and instead adding "the manifestation of that identity in gender-related appearance, characteristics and mannerisms."

That passed, and then the bill passed out of the Judicial Proceedings Committee on a 7-4 vote.

However, because the senate version of HB 235 now has the Frosh amendment attached to it, if it passes the Senate, it must go back to the House to be repassed before the end of the legislative session at midnight.    And that can't happen until HB 235 is voted on and passed by the Maryland Senate.


As Otto von Bismarck once stated, 'those who like laws and sausages should never watch either being made'.

Going to be a long day.