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Equality Maryland

Friday, 04 May 2012

Doing the Right Thing

Club Hippo staff working on a group exercise during transgender sensitivity training

Many of us who get to work every day on LGBT issues are used to noticing everything that is wrong and the injustices in our state. I have to remember and acknowledge when people and businesses do the right thing!

Friday, 20 April 2012

Sharing Our Stories

Moving from Montgomery County to Baltimore City was difficult in many ways. I decided to make the move to attend Morgan State University in 2006, but found it hard to get used to the change in public transportation, scenery, and the lack of good food options close to campus. Like many other romantic Pisces, I dreamed of one day meeting the love of my life in school, but doubted it would ever happen. I’m sure you could understand the shock I felt when, during my freshman year I met her. I vividly remember going out to lunch with my mother and telling her how excited I was to have found someone who understood my family values, shared my religious background, wanted children, and was educated. While it took some time for her and me to finally make it official, we knew since 2007, that there was something special there.

Friday, 06 April 2012

Seats at the table

For far too long the LGBT rights movement has not adequately represented all parts of the community. Lack of resources and infighting stemming from systemic oppression has silenced many voices. The priorities of the LGBT movement often are framed by those few people who have the power and voices, which further silences more voices in a vicious cycle. While we say there are plenty of seats at the table; sometimes those seats are difficult to access.

Friday, 09 March 2012

What My Gender Identity Means to Me

Until recently I kept a part of my life private, even from those closest to me in life. It is my hopes in sharing my story that it will help others, if even in just the smallest of ways. From my earliest memories as a child I knew I did not fit in the gender role I was being raised in. As a child I bounced around from doctor to doctor for medical complications I had from birth and underwent many surgeries throughout my childhood, all related to my gender. I was kept in the dark about what was going on, only being told that this was all normal and nothing to be concerned about.

Friday, 24 February 2012

What a Week for the Freedom to Marry in Maryland!

I am writing this after a very full week in Annapolis! February 13th was Lobby Day and Rally sponsored by Marylanders for Marriage Equality (http://marylandersformarriageequality.org). What an amazing night! We had more than 800 people show up! It was such a beautiful sight to look across Lawyers Mall and see so many people there to show their support for the Civil Marriage Protection Act. We were honored to have Senator Allan Kittleman (the sole Republican senator publicly supporting the freedom to marry); Delegate Keiffer Mitchell, Jr. (a stalwart supporter from Baltimore), Delegate Ben Barnes (the original sponsor of this bill in 2008) and Candace Gingrich-Jones (a proud Maryland resident) address the crowd. We also had the privilege of having Governor O’Malley stop by and give a rousing speech on why we need to pass this bill and re-affirm his commitment to ensuring it happens!