2/23/11

Maryland Students Today and 55 years ago: Still fighting for Public Accommodations



Fifty five years ago then a college student Dr. Helena Hicks, pictured right, participated in the first ever lunch counter sit in at Reeds, a Maryland department store, protesting black peoples denial of equal access to public accommodations.

Transgender people are still fighting for that same right today. Incredibly, the foe promoting our second class citizenship is "Equality Maryland" a federation member!

On this podcast of The Marc Steiner Show Hicks talks about why Maryland students 55 years ago committed this civil disobedience and why the preservation of this memory is so important.



Hicks recalls “We could go in Read’s and buy a pack of cigarettes or a pack of gum, but you’re hungry and you can’t sit down. It might be cold, it might be raining, it might be snowing and you can’t sit down and drink a hot cup of coffee or cocoa or tea or anything,”

As we all know these courageous acts of defiance ignited the conscious of people of good faith of all colors and eventually resulted in the civil rights act of 1964

Helena Hicks wants to keep developers from tearing down the building that Reeds was housed in so to preserve our memory of this struggle that allowed almost every minority to live as first class citizens.


Today Maryland students are still engaged in the battle for public accommodations. They are asking their state legislators to remember the lessons learned decades ago with blood:
"The 'Gender Expression Non-discrimination Act' bill being introduced into the Maryland house of delegates this session has a serious issue. An issue so big that, if passed, could put full trans equality in the state out of reach for *years*."

"The bill lacks public accommodations protections while providing housing, employment, and credit protections. What this means in practical terms is that trans people can still get thrown out of restaurants, domestic violence shelters, forced off of buses, really most anything."

"Imagine the civil rights act of 1964 without protections in restaurants, bathrooms, buses, etc."

"And if the bill DOES pass without public accommodations, then that protection will be nearly impossible to get because any attempt to bring it to the floor will be met with 'Bathroom bill' and basically get laughed out of committee."
Lessons forgotten! Has Morgan Meneses-Sheets forgotten the value of human dignity?


In a recent conversation with Morgan Meneses-Sheets, Executive Director of Equality Maryland
she incredulously harrumphed when I asked her what reality would be like now if public accommodations had not been included in the civil rights acts.

Yet amazingly she is persisting in promoting Maryland HB235 a transgender "equality" bill without public accommodations.

HB235 is resurrecting the concept of humanity that those who voted against that legislation in 1964 believed in. They believed that people of color, as transphobes do today, could work for them and support their business but that they could not share in their public spaces.


Maryland students understand, why can't Morgan Meneses-Sheets?

2/22/11

Equality Loudoun VA Weighs in on HB235

Animosity towards EQMD's promotion of HB235 and its tyrannical oppression of transgender people's free will must not overflow the banks and spill out on Marriage equality efforts and other Equality Federations.

UPDATE! Read Equality Loudoun's article Two bills in Maryland published 2.23.2010 on their website.

I fully support marriage equality and will continue my passionate advocacy so that EVERY child may know a secure, loving family environment free of worries created by domestic partnerships and civil contracts.

Our saving grace has always been and will continue to be our allies. As hard as it is to believe right now, there are Cisgender people some just across the river from Maryland who see thru this ruse and will openly object to Equality Maryland forcing HB235 as written on Maryland's transgender population.

The first is David Weintraub founder of Equality Loudoun who posted this comment on Equality Maryland's facebook thread titled "End Transgender Discrimination in Maryland!"

"It seems obvious to me that if every trans rights organization in MD opposes this bill as written, it's not written correctly. Further, I think that planning to introduce a stand-alone bill sometime in the future to address public accommodations is very bad strategy - it's opening up a situation in which opponents (who will never be satisfied anyway) can focus completely on their imaginary bathroom issues."

Prior to posting his comment David had only heard what Equality Maryland had told him and asked me why transgender were so outraged about HB235. David listened to Jenna Fischetti, founder TransMaryland interview on TransFM Radio and David told me he knew he had to act.









Video streaming by Ustream
Like I said, I fully support ALL federation work towards achieving full marriage equality EXCEPT when transgender rights are traded for marriage equality as it has been done by EQMD.

On February 15, 2010 61 Maryland delegates co-sponsored HOUSE BILL 1022 "Human Relations – Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity 2 – Antidiscrimination."
FOR the purpose of prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity with regard to public accommodations, housing, and employment.
Last year sixty one Maryland delegate signed on. Publicly the proposed plan was to resubmit the HB1022 in 2011 as announced by lead sponsor of HB235 currently in the House:

On Febuary 2, 2011 Delegate Joseline Pena-Melnyk was quoted on Gay life
"The Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Act will be sponsored by Delegate Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D-21). It defines gender identity as a “gender-related identity, appearance, expression or behavior of an individual regardless of the individual’s assigned sex at birth.” This legislation adds gender identity to anti-discrimination protections already granted on “the grounds of race, sex, age, color, creed, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation or disability.” Discrimination would be “prohibited in the areas of employment, housing, credit and public accommodations.”

“This is the year for gender identity and marriage equality. Legislative leaders have been educated. They are messaging affirmatively in the press,” declares Lisa Polyak, a board member of Equality Maryland. She remains optimistic about the chances for both bills in the upcoming General Assembly and ends with a call to action for our community.
Unknown to the transgender community HB235 sans public accommodations was already introduced in the house by Pena-Melnyk with full support of EQMD's DECEPTIVE MINIPULATION!

However then there were some that expressed doubt a full marriage bill would be passed.
"Lynda Dee, lawyer and executive director of AIDS Action Baltimore, urges supporters of the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act to “have a back-up plan. Sometimes you have to compromise.”

"One such compromise could look promising to those weary of the marriage equality debate. State Senator Allan Kittleman (R-9) has stated he will sponsor legislation legalizing civil unions in Maryland. This bill would “preserve the sanctity of marriage” and give same-sex couples all the rights and benefits of a marriage—but without the dreaded “m” word."


Morgan Meneses-Sheets, executive director of Equality Maryland, quickly responded to these sentiments marriage equality might need to be compromised.
It’s marriage or bust. We are not going to accept anything less.”
So public accommodations was thrown to extremist hate groups like Maryland Citizens for Responsible Government who led a venomous attack on the Montgomery County transgender equality bill BUT are strangely silent on HB235.

But Why?

Maryland Citizens for Responsible Government and the religious demagogues got what they wanted, but why did EQMD do this? The transgender community believes they traded public accommodations in exchange for votes and assurances a dreaded referendum challenging legislative proccess would not be mounted.

"It’s marriage or bust. We are not gong to accept anything less.

Morgan Meneses-Sheets, win or lose your precious marriage bill you are already a whole lot less.