BTWI Statement Concerning The SCOTUS Cases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 8, 2019
Contact Monica Roberts
BTWI Media Chair 346-310-0824
Dee Dee Watters  BTWI President
855-255-8636
media@blacktranswomen.org

BTAC and BTWI along with the entire Black trans community's eyes are turned toward Washington DC on this historic day as a trans rights case is being argued for the first time in our country's history

The question before the SCOTUS is a fundamental one.   Is it legal to fire someone for being transgender?  We At BTAC and BTWI believe the quite obvious answer to that question is an emphatic no and being trans is not a fireable offense..

But where we find ourselves on this historic October 8 day is our humanity and human rights as transgender Americans being under persistent attack by the Trump administration and its reprehensible accomplices. .   

The Harris Funeral Homes vs EEOC case being brought by Aimee Stephens is a case that will not only impact the human rights of the trans community, but one that will negatively impact all Americans if this case is decided incorrectly.

If that happens, it will also disproportionately affect the Black trans community that we proudly serve.   Now that the case has been argued before the SCOTUS, we at BTWI  and BTAC will continue to fight for the humanity and human rights of our community no matter what happens in this case.

Trans rights are undeniably human rights, and we urge the SCOTUS to be on the right side of history and say no to discrimination.  If they don't, then the Roberts Court will forever set in stone the undeniable impression that it is a partisan, unjust body when it comes to the civil rights of Americans.

You Will Not Erase American Trans People

'Should the self destructive white privilege fueled racist tendencies of white voters prevail on Tuesday, we will be stuck with people who hate us having offices in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and the Justice Department gleefully making policy backed by the federal government that rolls back all the human rights games we have made since Stonewall.'
-TransGriot  November 4, 2016
I have noted since 2014 the disturbing conjoining of the Republican Party, the evilgelicals (mainly the Southern Baptists), TERF's and conservafool media with the goal of making a coordinated attack on the humanity and human rights of trans people.

As I warned before the 2016 election, trans people's humanity and human rights were on the ballot, and if Hillary didn't get elected our next president, it was going to be a problem for our community. 

Some of you dismissed my warnings as 'scare tactics'.  Now I reluctantly get to say 'I told you so' before I dive into what I need to say here.

I hope it is clear to you beyond a shadow of a doubt that the GOP and their allies hate trans you and especially Black trans me.  If you're one of the trans idiots who voted for Trump and still support him, I repeat, you are a sellout to the trans community.   You deserve  every bit of derision and shame we can heap upon you as a trans community sellout because you also voted for you own oppression.

But while venting on the sellouts will only make us temporarily feel good for a minute, when we're done chewing them out, it still won't change the fact that we have for at least another two years a federal government and in some states GOP controlled ones that are gleefully hostile to our trans existence.

The New York Times leaking a memo that details another fresh Trump misadministration attack on the human rights of the American trans community is definitely alarming. 

But as a Black trans person, I shake it off as just another day at the office. As a Black American. I'm used to whiteness and white supremacy trying and mostly failing in their 400+ year quest to attack my people's humanity and human rights.   To borrow Maya Angelou's words, and still we rise.

Yes, our ongoing centuries old human rights fight has seen some spectacular wins and progress for us and some disappointing losses and setbacks.   But as the Rev. Dr Martin Luther King, Jr reminds us, "We must accept finite disappointment, but must never lose infinite hope." 

The bottom line is our trans ancestors and elders have seen worse attacks, and they not only withstood them, they managed to build a movement that we have now taken international.

Yes, we as a community have made tremendous progress.  But it was also inevitable that a conservative backlash would emerge that would attempt to roll back whatever trans rights progress we have made in the United States.

Yes, we see the progress that trans people around the world are making as their nations recognize the human rights and humanity of their trans citizens.  One day the United States will belatedly join them.  But unfortunately that time isn't now. 

So no, take heart in not only the history of my people that we will win, but the history and resilience of the trans community.   No matter how hard the anti-trans haters try, they will not erase American trans people from existence, because frankly, they can't.

They had a better shot of doing so when we were in the closet.  We're not any more and haven't been since February 1953.   Nor are we American trans people going back into the closet.  We are going to fight Republican oppression of us with every fiber of our beings because we must for ourselves and for our trans kids.

That fight starts by firing every politician with an 'R" behind their name on November 6 at all levels of government.   And no, there aren't any 'good Republicans' if they are silent about the persecution of trans people.    It includes trans people running for office.   Then we mark the calendar for November 3, 2020 to get Agent Orange and his reprehensible misadministration out.

That fight also includes building allies.  Calling out our enemies every time they go low and attempt to push disinformation out there about our trans lives.  Educating people.   Drawing strength and comfort from our trans history.   Being our out, proud, amazing and unapologetically trans selves.

It also means that we need funders to get off the sidelines and invest in trans led organizations.  Donation money is also critically needed by POC trans led orgs like Black Trans Advocacy Coalition,  Trans Latina Coalition and others across the nation.

And yeah, if you like what I have to say on TransGriot, drop some change in the TransGriot Tip Jar in the upper left hand corner of the blog or my PayPal

Dry the tears of our trans kids.  Hug, love on and appreciate our Mama and Papa bears because they are also being viciously attacked by the right wing fake faith based haters in addition to our trans kids. 

Trans allies and trans family. check on the trans people in your lives and envelop them in love.   Listen to our trans elders for advice on what we do to navigate these troubled waters.   Trans adults, do whatever you need to do within reason to calm those rattled nerves,

Trans leaders, our trans younglings and our community constituency are looking to us for leadership, and we must provide it in this moment.

You will not erase American trans people, consevafools.   We will fight you every step of the way when you try to pass unjust laws and anti-trans policies because frankly, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain.             

And the thing we have to gain is a better America and a better world for our trans kids.

Still Concerned About Massachusetts Question 3

As the folks in the Bay State are aware of, the rights of trans folks are on the November 6 ballot no thanks to the transphobic bigots behind the No on 3 team.

Question 3 puts on the ballot the just passed in 2016 law that extended public accommodations protections to Massachusetts transgender people.  It also prohibited discrimination against the Mass transgender community.

I was even more concerned when I saw the results of a June 14, 2018 that showed only 49% of the respondents in a Suffolk University poll would vote to keep the trans rights law vs 37% of the respondents that would vote to repeal it with 14% undecided about which way they would vote.



The No on 3 haters are trying to play the tired 'bathroom predator' attacks along with the race card by showing in their attack commercial a white woman going into a locker room after a burly male attacker hides out in there.

There has been a more recent poll (September 13-17) conducted by Suffolk University that shows the YES vote up to 73% while the NO vote is down to 17.4%.   The number of undecided voters is also down to 9.2%,

While the poll numbers look good, the only poll that counts is on November 6.    Massachusetts trans folks and the national trans community at large still have a reason to be concerned about it.

A repeal of Massachusetts law would open the floodgates on a wave of NC style anti-trans bills or anti-trans referenda across the US at a time when the SCOTUS with the addition of Kavanaugh on it is stacked with a conservative slant,   

This election is a must win for us, and it's why I'm urging Massachusetts peeps to vote YES on 3 

My friend Ben Power, who runs the Massachusetts based Sexual Minorities Archive, and has been an activist for several decades, says it best:

“There’s no reason why as Americans trans people shouldn’t have 100% equal rights. To have them possibly taken away is an outrage, and that option being on the ballot is crazy. How and why does the majority get to vote on the rights of a minority? If these rights are repealed, it would be another attack on the transgender community that will lead possibly to more calls to suicide hotlines, more harassment and hate crimes, more ugliness. It would be a black eye on the state’s image. I’m concerned about the welfare of my own friends. There’s only so much harassment and cruelty someone can take before they get very disheartened. We need to totally and unapologetically hold onto our rights here.”

Massachusetts trans kids, their trans elders and the people who unconditionally love us will thank you for helping them do precisely that with a YES vote.

Vice on HBO Trans In Texas Show

I do television interviews from time to time, and sometimes they end up on the cutting room floor instead of the final broadcast show.

I'd done an interview during this year's BTAC conference, but once I took off the mic I forgot about it until my Facebook page started blowing up Friday night with people seeing the short segment that I'd taped.

The sixth season of Vice on HBO/recently broadcast an episode entitled Trans In Texas that features Kai and Kimberly Shappley, Dee Dee Watters, Dana Hinton and some GLAAD Media Award winning blogger y'all know 

It's only 17 minutes, and they barely scratched the surface on some of the issues we're dealing with in the Lone Star State

The video was finally released on their YouTube channel, so I got to see it.   Here's the video for you

Massachusetts Trans People's Human Rights Are On The Ballot

On November 6 when the nation will be in breathless anticipation of whether the Democrats or Republicans have control of the US House and Senate, trans people's eyes will be nervously cast at Massachusetts to see whether the human rights law protecting the Massachusetts trans community stays in place or is repealed.

The Massachusetts legislature passed in 2016 a law that extended public accommodations protections to its transgender citizens and prohibited discrimination against them.

Predictably, the transphobic bigots formed Keep MA Safe, and successfully fought to get a referendum on the 2018 ballot, called Question 3, that would eradicate those protections. 

And as they've done in Houston and elsewhere, the transphobes are peddling the debunked bathroom predator lie to make sure that the NO votes on Question 3 carry the November 6 day.

Once again, the human rights of trans people are on an election ballot, but this time it's in the blue state of Massachusetts.   I and a lot of people outside of the state are concerned about this referendum because if they transphobes are successful in killing this Massachusetts trans rights bill, it could set off a wave of anti-trans referendums just in time for the 2020 presidential election.

And those concerns are shared by our allies and my fellow trans elders who are keenly aware of the Bay State's anti-trans past. 

Knowing that historically Massachusetts has been the home of transphobic TERF's for decades like Janice Raymond and Elizabeth Hungerford, and former US Rep. Barney Frank opposed trans inclusion in ENDA by pushing in the 90's and 2000's the transphobic  'penis in showers' argument, we know there's a possibility that the NO votes could prevail and roll back the human rights of our trans cousins living there  with unpleasant repercussions for the rest of transkind in the US.

A WBUR poll conducted back in May was equally disturbing, showing that only 52% of Massachusetts resident were in favor of keeping the trans rights law versus 38% of Massachusetts residents who favored getting rid of it.

 .


Massachusetts will be a trans political battleground as we get closer to Election Day, and that's why the bipartisan Freedom For All Massachusetts coalition started back in May.

They are hard at work to ensure that we hear good news from the Bay State on November 6.

And while it's wonderful a broad based coalition of business community, women's groups, law enforcement, supportive legislators, organizations and trans people and their families has been assembled, and Bay State transpeople are feeling somewhat confident that their fellow citizens will support them when the time comes, the reality is this election is taking place during a time in which our human rights and humanity are under daily attack by the Trump misadministration, its Department of Injustice Justice, the TERF's and right wing fundamentalists.

The only support that matters is in the voting booth on November 6.   That's why Trans World will be nervously watching the election results from Massachusetts on that date..

Because once again, trans people's  human rights are on the ballot, and it's a must win election for us.

NH Senate Gets It Right This Time, Passes Trans Rights Bill

So how long will my transgender brothers and sisters in the Granite State have to wait for their legislators to pass laws that allow them to 'live free or die'? 

And will you find the courage to do so?
TransGriot, May 4, 2009

Nine years ago I was justifiably going nuclear and putting the then Democratically controlled New Hampshire Senate on blast on my birthday after the all female led body voted 24-0 to kill a trans rights bill that narrowly passed the female led Democratically controlled New Hampshire House by one vote.

That vote, gallingly after they had no problem passing a marriage equality bill, kept New Hampshire  as the only state in the New England region that didn't have discrimination protections for its transgender citizens

The political script has flipped in New Hampshire since then.  Instead of the Democrats controlling all three branches of government, it's now the Republicans.   The NH Senate now has a 14-10 GOP edge versus the 14-10 edge the other way at the time.  The NH House is 226-174 GOP instead of the 225-175 Democratic edge it had in 2009.

HB 1319 is a bill that would update New Hampshire's non discrimination law and prohibit discrimination against my Granite State trans family in employment, housing and public accommodations. 

The House passed HB 1319 in a bipartisan fashion 195-129 back on March 7 after three emotional public hearings with a combined twelve hours of testimony from many trans New Hampshire residents that went into the wee hours of the morning. 

Today the New Hampshire Senate righted a nearly decade old wrong.by passing HB 1319 with bipartisan support 14-10.

The bill now heads to Gov. Chris Sununu's (R) desk, where he is expected to sign it into law. 

Once he does, New Hampshire will become the 20th state along with the District of Columbia to legislatively protect its transgender citizens.

And this day has been one trans Granite Staters have been waiting on for a long time.

George Takei Talks About Trans Rights Rollback

I have much love for George Takei, and was happy to see this MSNBC interview that Ali Velshi conducted with him concerning the Trump misadministration attack on our human rights

Takei called trans rights 'fundamental human rights' (which is what they are) that should travel across state lines.  My human rights shouldn't depend on what zip code I live in.

But that's another post.   Here's the Takei interview

 

Sit Your Azz Down, Caitlyn

After saying during the 2016 campaign that Donald Trump would be 'good on women's issues', expressed the sentiment that she would like to be the trans ambassador for Ted Cruz as he attacked trans people on the GOP presidential primary campaign trail, slammed Hillary Clinton as 'a political hack' and claimed 'the country would be over' if she won, now Caitlyn Jenner is shocked, shocked that after one month of Dear Cheeto Leader's disastrous presidency and supporting him that he would attack trans kids.

Anyone who was paying attention during that campaign and had a brain knew that if we wanted trans rights progress to stay on an upward trajectory, we needed Hillary Clinton to be elected to succeed President Barack Obama on November 8.

Our humanity and human rights as trans people were on the 2016 presidential ballot, and far too many of you peeps were caught up in your 'I hate Hillary' fee fees to see that.   Some of you in Trans World were more concerned about your wallets and loyalty to the Republican Party than thinking about what candidate was best for our community.

Now you're shocked that the Obama administration's DOE/ DOJ trans guidance letter is being revoked by a so-called POTUS with an 'R" behind his name, your clueless behind is calling it a 'disaster' and you're urging Trump to 'call you'



Really?   Now your azz is shaking off the fog of white privilege and seeing what I and a long list of trans folks were trying to tell you in the runup to November 8 that the Republican Party you're a member of is no friend of the trans community, and is chock full of anti-trans legislative bullies and transphobes

Neither is this so-called POTUS a friend of our community, and he proved it Wednesday.  You and every trans person who voted for Trump is a sellout to trans kind and by doing so, you greased the skids for the oppression of our trans kids and our community

Miss Right Wing Thang, you're going to have as much success getting that phone call back from the Trump White House chock full of trans oppressors to talk about trans issues as Jackie Evancho did,

So sit your azz down Caitlyn and have several rows of seats.    .

Just more evidence that co-signs that the post I wrote in December 2015 is still valid.

Laverne Talks Trans Rights On The Stephen Colbert Show

You know I have much love for Laverne Cox and I'm eagerly anticipating the debut of the CBS legal drama Doubt tomorrow at 9 PM CST,

Last night she was on Stephen Colbert's show to not only discuss Doubt, but also talk about her meeting Beyonce at the Grammy and other subjects.

On of the subjects that Laverne talked about is the upcoming Gavin Grimm case, and you may wish to take notes about how she talked about it and the unjust trans bathroom oppression laws in less than two minutes.



This is also an excellent  example of how you use your visibility to advance our human rights.

We Are All At Risk

TransGriot Note: This op-ed is courtesy of Philadelphia based trans advocate Sharron Cooks, who was our lone African-American trans feminine delegate at the 2016 DNC, and recently participated in the Trans United For Hillary event centered in North Carolina.

***

The Democratic Party and its leadership as we know it have been devastated by the results of this election term especially the presidency. This is particularly troublesome for people of color, Muslims, people with abilities issues, LGB people and the transgender community. The transgender community of color will be the first and most negatively affected by the 2016 presidential election results because of the discriminatory policies the Republicans plan to implement while in control of our three branches of American government; the presidency, congress and the Supreme Court (if a conservative is appointed). Mike Pence has been hailed as one of the most conservative and anti-lgbT government officials of our time. His views and policies on lgbT issues will strip away any and all progress made for lgbT equality under President Obama's administration. For transgender individuals this is absolutely terrifying. 

During the Hillary Clinton campaign, I took a visit to North Carolina with Trans United for Hillary (TU4H). TU4H is a political organization that is comprised of Trans activists from various organizations and states from around the country. TU4H organized several events in North Carolina to help support Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party, and oppose Governor Pat McCrory, the sponsor of HB2. House Bill 2 or more formally known as the, "Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act,"  is a piece of statewide anti lgbT legislation that grants the state permission to legally discriminate against gay and transgender people in North Carolina and it is in full effect. 

My visit to North Carolina, gave me and others in the Trans community, a glimpse of what is in store for the lgbT community underneath a Trump/ Pence administration, which is the legalization of discrimination against lgbT individuals not only in North Carolina but nationwide. A member of the TU4H team had a first had experience being discriminated against for simply existing. While canvassing for the TU4H campaign, a Trans woman had law enforcement officials called on her not once but twice. The perception of being "Trans," is all North Carolina residents need when they call law enforcement officials. Luckily, my TU4H team member was not arrested but it was definitely a wake up call for me and many other TU4H team members.

Trans activists from the National Center for Transgender Equality, the Human Rights Campaign and from around the country along with some Trans delegates from the Democratic National Convention were informed about the discrimination our TU4H team members faced and we were instructed not to "post" about it by a TU4H organizer. In essence we were being "silenced" in the face of anti- lgbT protections even though our mission is to advocate for pro- lgbT legislation.

This was most troubling for me for several reasons; first, why would the TU4H and the Democratic Party knowingly send a Trans people in a known conservative county with No Trespassing" signage to canvass (knock on the doors of residents to get them out to vote and to promote the Democratic Party's platform of inclusion and diversity)? Second, why was our safety being compromised for political gain? Third, why did TU4H organizers ask the team to "remain silent" about two incidents involving the police being called on a Trans woman for simply existing?

All too often, Trans people are exploited and their safety put at risk all for the sake of a human resource such as labor and political capital in this case.

Republican Governor McCrory was defeated in North Carolina's gubernatorial race by Democrat Roy Cooper which gives lgbT people in North Carolina some hope of HB2 being repealed. But is it a victory considering what the Trump/Pence administration has planned?  

 It has been days now since the results of the American presidential campaign and many white LGBT organizations and leaders are at a loss as to which direction they "should" focus on to ensure the protections LGBTQ people,  secured during President Obama's administration. As a member of the Trans community of color, I am extremely concerned that the rights of Trans people will be the first set of protections to be revoked. It is time for white LGBT leaders to become supportive allies to the Trans community and it's leadership. It is time for the "old guard" to step aside and listen to those who are facing discrimination on an all too frequent basis, and to help elevate members of the Trans community to lead this battle for equality. Not equality for some, not equality in incremental stages, not equality that only consists of white LGBT run organizations but true equality for all people. 

In Philadelphia, PA we are very fortunate to have lgbT protections but how long will that last under a Trump/Pence administration? Well if it is anything like HB2 in North Carolina, our nation's LGB and Trans community is in for a world  full of troubles. The Trans community, all too often, has not been a priority when it comes to legal protections and now that we are probably the first in line facing a repeal of any and all rights we have fought for, we are demanding our inclusion in every the stage of the legislative process. #ProtectTransRights 

Trans Woman Wins Landmark NZ Discrimination Case

As I've been pointing out throughout the history of this blog, a trans human rights win or advance anywhere is good for trans kind everywhere on this planet.

In New Zealand, our trans siblings there and around the world are celebrating Dakota Hemmingson's recent Employment Relations Authority win that awarded her nearly $13,250 ($9680.65 US).

The Employment Relations Authority ruled Hemmingson was unjustifiably dismissed from her job and awarded her back pay of $3248 ($2373 US) and $11,000 ($8036.77 US) compensation for the hurt and humiliation the dismissal caused her.     

The 23 year old Hemmingson was employed at a hair salon in Auckland for six weeks until she revealed to her employer Matt Swan on April 11 2015 she was transitioning.  She was told by Swan that although he supported her move on a personal level, he was 'concerned about her safety' and in a later April 14 meeting that her transition 'didn't fit the commercial profile of the business', located in the Barkers clothing store.  

She felt after that conversation she had no choice but to leave that job and resigned that day.




"It's a huge win for transgender rights and human rights, but personally its been a huge burden," she told the New Zealand Herald. "I didn't want any special treatment (at the salon)  This was never about money or attention."

Hemmingson hopes that the positive Employment Relations Authority case ruling sent a message to employers to educate themselves on gender identity issues.

She said she was proud the case would set ERA precedent against discrimination aimed at New Zealand trans people in the workplace. And it's also more irrefutable evidence that we are also everywhere on Planet Earth, but trans rights are international human rights.

Support The Brazilian #NomeSocialEDireito Campaign

Our Brazilian trans family are fighting to keep a policy alive that allows them to use their social names in dealings with the Brazilian federal government.

The backstory starts with embattled Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff issuing before she left office for an interim president pending the result of her impeachment trial issuing Decree n.8.727 that allows trans folks to use their social  names in federal government situations and settings.

But a Brazilian politician unfortunately is pushing to have the Rousseff issued decree invalidated, and that would cause problems for many of our Brazilian trans cousins.

The attempt to invalidate Decree n.8.727 is instead serving to galvanize the Brazilian trans community in a 'we're fed up and not gonna take it any more' way.  A social media campaign has popped up #NomeSocialEDireito with the goal of keeping the decree in place.

Brazilian trans people and their allies are asked to take photos with the #NomeSocialEDireito hashtag which translates in English to 'My Name Is My Right'.

Here's hoping my Brazilian trans fam is successful in keep Decree n 8.727, and success in doing so leads to more wins in Brazil for our trans family.

Massachusetts AG Healey Urges Vote On Trans Rights Bill

Remember when I called out the Massachusetts trans community for passing that incrementalist public accommodations free trans rights bill in 2011, and I got pushback from some leaders there when I called it an unjust law?

Well, hate to say I told you so, but just to refresh your memories, here's what I said back on November 16, 2011 about the Massachusetts trans rights law with the gaping hole of missing public accommodations language .

The truth hurts doesn't it?  This is a bad bill without the public accommodations language in it.  Even the sponsor of it is bothered about it like I am.

I also said this in the subsequent post I wrote pushing back against

If civil rights laws without public accommodations language are not acceptable for cispeople, then why should transpeople be satisfied with a human rights crumb of an unjust law that cispeople wouldn't accept or want to live by?

And if cispeople and legislators in Massachusetts don't want to live by the same laws they are trying to get transpeople to accept, it is an unjust law. 

Ever since then, Massachusetts has been trying to get the public accommodation piece passed, and as I have pointed out, it's harder to go back and revise a law instead of fighting tooth and nail to get it done right the first time.

Political conditions have changed since 2011.  Because Massachusetts now has a Republican governor instead of a Democratic one,  he is not in favor of trans rights and has threatened to veto it.   That means they have to get enough votes to override the veto despite having Democratic supermajorities in both chambers.

House speaker Robert DeLeo is using that as an excuse to stall the bill, claiming he doesn't have enough votes for an override..

AG Healey thinks that's unacceptable in light of Republican led efforts to demonize trans people and attack their human rights, and is urging Massachusetts to protect its trans citizens. .

"To me, this is really really important, " Healey said.  "This is about civil rights, it's about respecting the dignity of each and every human being, and unfortunately, right now, in this state, it is not illegal to discriminate against someone based on the fact that they're transgender.".   .

She's right Massachusetts.  Time for y'all to stop stall and show the same leadership for trans human rights that you did on gay marriage  

The Massachusetts trans community and their siblings around the United States and the world are watching to see if the.Bay State values its trans citizens and their human rights like they do the human rights of their gay and lesbian ones.  .  .

Baltimore County MD Trans Rights Bill Vote Tomorrow

It's a big day tomorrow in Baltimore County for Chrissy Lee Polis and the rest of our trans brothers and transsisters.

The Baltimore County Council will convene at 5:00 PM EST to vote on Bill 3-12, the human rights bills to add gender identity and sexual orientation to existing human rights statutes and add Baltimore County MD to the increasingly lengthy list of jurisdictions that do value their rainbow community citizens.

Bill 3-12 has already had two contentious hearings, with the Forces of Intolerance desperately trying to preserve their 'special right' to discriminate.
They have been sliming this much needed law with the usual 'bathroom bill' meme bull feces.  One major lie they were trying to pimp has already been thoroughly debunked.

But the haters will still repeat them anyway in the hope they get the desired result of Bill 3-12 being defeated or severely watered down.

So for those of you in the Baltimore area it would be incumbent upon you to be agents for your own liberation and let your county councilmembers respectfully know that you want the full menu of human rights, not an unjust public accommodations free bill.

Since the opponents are dragging in people from outside Maryland and Baltimore County into this human rights battle, it's in our best interests to help our trans brothers and sisters in Baltimore County beat back the haters. 

If you can, you may also wish to show up at the hearing at 400 Washington Avenue in Towson, MD clad in purple to express your support for the bill without amendments.

Good luck Baltimore County transpeeps!