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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, November 13, 2007

EQUALITY MARYLAND APPLAUDS MONTGOMERY COUNTY COUNCIL FOR UNANIMOUS PASSAGE OF TRANSGENDER ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LEGISLATION


Jurisdiction Joins 100 Other Localities in Ending Discrimination Motivated by "Gender Identity and Expression"


CONTACT
Dan Furmansky, Executive Director
Office: 301-587-7500
Cell: 301-461-4900
Email: dan@equalitymaryland.org

ROCKVILLE -- A three-year campaign to add Montgomery County to the list of growing jurisdictions nationally that ban discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression has paid off for Equality Maryland and residents of the County. Bill #23-07, sponsored by Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg (D-At Large) at the request of Equality Maryland, passed unanimously, with all eight Council Members present voting in support. The ninth Councilmember, George Leventhal (D-At Large), had also pledged his support for the measure.

"Equality Maryland praises the Montgomery County Council for taking this important step in securing the livelihood of transgender individuals locally," said Executive Director Dan Furmansky. "We applaud Councilmember Trachtenberg for her leadership and advocacy, and the entire Council for its commitment to social justice in the face of great hostility from rabid, anti-LGBT forces. Equality Maryland also proudly recognizes the pivotal role played by our board member, Dr. Dana Beyer, who serves as an aide to Councilmember Trachtenberg, in passionately championing passage of this bill."

Equality Maryland has been advocating for transgender equality legislation since 2001, when the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation to prohibit discrimination against individuals on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation but failed to cover the category of gender identity and expression. In 2002, Equality Maryland (then known as Free State Justice) worked with advocates to pass a law unanimously in Baltimore City that was sponsored by then-Mayor Martin O'Malley. In 2007, the organization worked with legislators to introduce bills in the house to address discrimination in housing, employment, lending and public accommodations. The bill failed by one vote in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. Earlier this year, Gov. Martin O'Malley reissued an Executive Order to clarify that transgender-motivated discrimination will not be tolerated in the state hiring process.

"Based on data from the 2000 Census, the total number of people now living in a jurisdiction with a transgender-inclusive anti-discrimination law in the United States is already 104 million," said Councilmember Trachtenberg. "Montgomery County is simply catching up with the times and creating a climate where all people are treated equally and free from discrimination and harm."

The Washington Transgender Needs Assessment survey estimates that 42% of transgender people in the DC Metro Area are unemployed; 31% have incomes of less than $10,000/year; and 19% do not have their own living space. The most common barriers cited by those who lack housing are their economic situation (38%), housing staff insensitivity or hostility to transgender people (29%), estrangement from birth family (27%) and lack of employment (23%).

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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.