9/10/08

Maryland Court Overturns Attempt to Roll Back Transgender Protections



The hotly contested transgender equality issue recently came to a head in Maryland. The ruling will become a cornerstone of GLBT unity. All members of our GRAND community selflessly united on behalf of fairness equality and justice!




Montgomery County transgender nondiscrimination law protected from repeal effort
September 09, 2008

MEDIA CONTACT:
Roberta Sklar, Communications Director
(Office) 646.358.1465
(Cell) 917.704.6358
rsklar@thetaskforce.org

We are thrilled to have our work and the work of our partners in Maryland vindicated. We were honored to help the Montgomery County LGBT community build a strong campaign from the ground up and see that building grassroots political power — and winning — is more than possible. We knew that there were not enough valid signatures collected and we are proud to have stood side by side with Equality Maryland, Basic Rights Montgomery, our legal partners and many volunteers to mount this legal challenge to the repeal effort. Had the measure reached the ballot, we are sure the fair-minded voters of Montgomery County would have rejected it as an attack on fundamental rights. We are excited that LGBT people in Maryland can now focus their efforts on passing a statewide ban on anti-transgender discrimination.”

— Rea Carey, Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 8, 2008

Victory in Maryland: High Court Rules for Challengers to Illegal Referendum Petition That Attempted to Overturn a Transgender Anti-Discrimination Law


CONTACT:
Dan Furmansky, Executive Director
301-587-7500
Cell: 301-461-4900
Dan@EqualityMaryland.org

http://www.equalitymaryland.org/pr_2008/pr2008.09.08.htm
Dan@EqualityMaryland.org

Annapolis, Md. – In a one paragraph order issued today, the Maryland Court of Appeals ruled in favor of a challenge to a referendum that attempted to block a unanimously enacted transgender protection law.

“We’re pleased with this victory. The court ruled in our favor in our challenge to this improper referendum,” said Natalie Chin, Staff Attorney at Lambda Legal. “Though the order was brief we feel confident that we’ve stopped this referendum from being on November’s ballot.”

The court indicated that they will be releasing an opinion at a later time.

On November 13, 2007, the Montgomery County Council unanimously passed an act adding gender identity to the county's civil rights law in order to address discrimination against transgender individuals. A group calling itself Citizens for Responsible Government (CRG) sought to collect enough signatures on a referendum petition to block the law from going into effect. Lambda Legal, together with counsel retained by Equality Maryland, represented concerned Montgomery County registered voters who opposed CRG's flawed referendum effort to set back the clock on civil rights in Montgomery County. Lambda Legal and Equality Maryland argued that the number of signatures needed to put the referendum petition on the November general election ballot was insufficient and that the Montgomery County Board of Elections over-counted purported signature entries in violation of detailed statutes that safeguard the referendum process.

"This long overdue, crucial law is all about assuring that unchecked bias is not allowed to inhibit our neighbors' abilities to make a living or rent a home, and as a Montgomery County resident, I breathe a sigh of relief that this campaign to roll back anti-discrimination protections is now over," said Dan Furmansky, Executive Director of Equality Maryland. "While we are confident the voters of Montgomery County would have voted against rolling back this law, , it is far better that our transgender brothers and sisters be spared the rhetoric that the referendum proponents have subjected them to over the past year. Equality Maryland thanks Lambda Legal, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the law firm of Arnold and Porter, and the many volunteers who came together to assure that our laws in Montgomery County are on par with the 100 other jurisdictions nationally that protect residents from discrimination on the basis of gender identity."

Susan Sommer, Senior Counsel, and Natalie Chin, Staff Attorney, are on the case for Lambda Legal. Jonathan Shurberg, lead attorney for Equality Maryland, argued the case. The case is Doe et al. v. Montgomery County Board of Elections.

###

Equality Maryland is Maryland's largest LGBT civil rights organization, focused on making life better for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens of Maryland. Equality Maryland works to secure and protect the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Marylanders by promoting legislative initiatives on the state, county and municipal levels and educating the public about the issues faced by our diverse community.



Washington Post's articleWashington Post's article;

"Jonathan Shurberg attorney for Equality Maryland, which led the challenge of the ballot initiative, said the court's decision ensured the integrity of the referendum process."

"The court gave a ringing endorsement to the principle that ordinary citizens have the right to challenge and test the validity of a petition submitted to referendum," Shurberg said.


Lambda Legal Victory in Maryland "We're pleased with this victory. The court ruled in our favor in our challenge to this improper referendum," said Natalie Chin, Staff Attorney at Lambda Legal.

Human Rights Campaign's Human Rights Campaign's $20,000 Contribution to Basic Rights Montgomery to perserve the transgender equality law.



HRC’s Recent Transgender-Related Work

The Soulforce Q Equality Ride - Fall 2008



The Soulforce Q Equality Ride will launch on October 1, 2008. This year it will focus on the South, journeying to fifteen schools of various denominations, including some faith-based historically black colleges and universities. True to its purpose of going where it is needed, the 2008 Equality Ride will visit both undergraduate schools and graduate level seminaries. Come meet the new Equality Riders and read what they have to say.
Schedules, meet the riders and more......

9/9/08

I kiss girls and guys and liked it!


Many Thanks Havens corner Church in Black Lick Ohio. I was doing serious face time with this gurl but after seeing this bee trading spit wit the guys. Whew, sure are glad you corrected me. (((Hugs))) Kelli (trans woman) Busey

9/8/08

Police face Gay Bating and bashing charges at RNC

Found on Queer Today a video of RNC protester Elliot Hughs by
Elliot Hughes recounts allegations of torture while being detained in Ramsey County Jail. Hughes was detained during an RNC08 protest after reportedly colliding with a police bicycle on accident. He was sent to Regions Hospital for treatment and later released without charges.



I had seen this Video a couple of days ago. I was appalled by the obvious attempt by police to initiate violence. Police can been seen riding bicycles into a group of protesters at the RNC. Elliot Hughes name was shouted a number of times in what sounds like someone attempting to document the event as the protester was arrested.

9/6/08

Gay Republicans Endorse McCain-Palin Ticket



In CQ Politics;
Gay Republicans Endorse McCain-Palin Ticket
"Log Cabin Republicans, a group representing gay Republicans, endorsed Arizona Sen. John McCain ’s presidential bid today as the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., hits its full stride. The group’s board voted by 12-2 to support the ticket led by McCain and his choice for vice presidential running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin ."

Some comments found....

Toby September 05, 2008 2:04 PM
"A gay Republican is similar to a Jewish member of the NAZI party or a black member of the KKK. Particularly in view of the very close involvement of the Republican leadership with the homophobic agenda of the religious right, any LGBT person supporting them needs a serious relationship with a shrink."

ill Curley September 05, 2008 3:29 PM
"Why would anyone be at all surprised? The "Log Cabin Republicans" have been putting the forward attempts of the Human Rights Campaign behind their Agenda of continuing the struggles in Iraq and Afghanistan until McCain achieves a self defined "Win", continued dissolution of the "middle class", the continued strict religious conservatism policies, enforced by the nomination of Sarah Palin that has been one of the root causes of the bullying, continued harassment and deaths of our brother's and sisters. This is an organization an educated and caring GLBT individual would support neither financially or its policies."
*********************
I am going to take this one step further. Who is making HRC rich? It surely is not the working class.

Transgender Unrest Haunts HRC With Documented Protests

Documented HRC protests since the 2007 ENDA catastrophe. This is not inclusive of all protests or articles. If you would like to add please email me at kellibusey@yahoo.com with a link.

General Information and History since 2007
pamshouseblend
indybay

Phoenix 2007
AZ Trans Alliance Protest to HRC

Chicago 2007
Windy City Times

D.C. 2007
IFGE
Gay.com
transgendernews
No Genda without Enda

Austin 2008
TACT takes message to HRC
Dallas Voice

Atlanta May 2008
Atlanta Southern Voice
Trans Group Blog

Chicago 2008
Thats the Chicago Way

Philadelphia 2008
tsroadmap

San Francisco 2008
L. A. Observed
queerty
mercurynews
Marraige Equality Blog
Queer TodayBay Area Reporter
Queers Without Borders
Trevor A gay mans blog
My Husband Betty
Channel 5 CBS TV Left Out coverage
San Fransico Bay Guardian
U Tube San Francisco Trans March 2008


Houston 2008
transgriot
Transadvocate

New Orleans 2008
Trans political


New York City 2008
Hudson Valley Gay News
boyinbushwick
Trans Advocate

Minneapolis 2008
Queer Today.com


Boston 2008 (yet to occur)
Boston Edge