As expected Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley signed the Fairness for All Marylanders Act yesterday, which outlaws discrimination against transgender citizens. Transgender Marylanders will now be protected against discrimination in employment and housing.
This is the last scheduled public signing ceremony of O'Malley's eight years in office.
It provides important protections for people who are just trying to live their lives. They won't get thrown out of their homes, out of their jobs, out of a restaurant, just for being who they are.
--bill sponsor state Sen. Richard S. Madaleno
And as I've mentioned recently, Conservative forces have launched a petition drive to obtain a referendum vote on what they call the "Bathroom Bill."
The way this poorly crafted law was written allows a man, who sincerely believes in his heart that he is a woman, to have access to the bathroom, changing room or locker room where there are women and little girls. This is just not right.
--House Minority Whip Kathy Szeliga
On the upside the group MdPetitions.org which is leading the charge has successfully put three laws on the ballot, but
has been rejected by voters each and every time.
Advocates for transgender people dismissed that hypothetical as fear-mongering, and pointed out that existing laws already making sneaking into a restroom to assault people a crime.
In nearby DC
Consuella Lopez is a transgender woman working to making the lives of transgender people...specifically transgender women of color...better with her #SAFEBATHROOMSDC campaign.
I apologize that this runs automatically. I'm not sure how to change that.
Consuella transitioned at the age of 17. After emigrating from Nicaragua she has become a successful DC hairdresser and a member of the DC Office of Human Rights.
Transwomen of color, our expected life span in the DMV [DelMarVa] area is not supposed to live past 30 and my best friend died at 30.
--Lopez
She says that 60% of her friends died on the streets that are often the only place that will accept a transgender girl who has been tossed out of her home, family, friendships, and society.
I think because we were so insecure and wanted attention from men...straight looking men...we thought it was ok.
--Lopez
The Office of Human Rights says that 89% of transgender women of color are sex workers "kept in business at night by the some of the same johns who discriminate against them during the day."
Even though DC is progressive and there's training for transgender women, they're still not getting hired.
--Lopez
So she started her campaign.
Think about this…there needs to be a campaign just for us to use the bathroom. No one can understand what it feels like to be a transgender woman living in a city that is accepting more of transmen than transgender women; more of white transgender women than transgender women of color.
--Lopez
#SAFEBATHROOMSDC operates as follows:
If you see a single bathroom in a DC business with a "men" or "women" sign instead of a generic "restroom" or signs for both, the Office of Human Rights is asking that you snap a picture of on your cellphone and post or tweet that picture using the hashtag: #SafeBathroomsDC. They say it's not about busting business owners but making them aware of the current law.