Transgender people experience bias far too often in employment, housing, healthcare, and public accommodations. When discrimination prevents or hinders a person from gaining or keeping employment, many other problems develop. Rent doesn't get paid, which leads to eviction. Data shows that 42% of transgender people in the DC Metro Area are unemployed and 19% do not have their own living space. Transgender individuals may also be denied access to social services like shelters or rape crisis centers; refused treatment, ridiculed, or denied recognition of their gender identity by health care professionals; or refused service at restaurants or stores.

The lack of protections based on gender identity and expression has gone on long enough.  Edit the below text to tell your state legislators to support this common-sense legislation.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

As an Equality Maryland member, I urge you to support the Transgender Anti-Discrimination Bill sponsored by Senator Madaleno and Delegate Pena-Melnyk. This legislation would add gender identity protections to the state's anti-discrimination laws. Please vote YES on SB566/HB474.

Discrimination against transgender people is an unfortunate reality in Maryland. It is still legal to deny a person a job, a house or apartment, or service in a restaurant just because of their gender identity. Because of unchecked discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations and credit, chronic unemployment and even homelessness are serious problems for transgender persons.

Anti-discrimination protections based on gender identity will explicitly tell employers, landlords and places of public accommodation that this kind of discrimination will not be allowed in Maryland. This legislation is not new, nor is it ahead of its time. Thirteen states and 93 cities and counties have laws that ban discrimination based on gender identity and expression.

Please support this important legislation and vote YES on SB566/HB474.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
March 12, 2009