December 18, 2009 | Volume VII, Issue 22 | LGBT Life in Maryland Taking our Message to Where Were You? the ‘Burbs Activists question city lead- ers’ absence from World For the first time, the Mall in Columbia (Mary- AIDS Day events land) is prominently displaying an advertise- ment with a gay-related message. The ad / BY STEVE CHARING / was designed and paid for by the Columbia- Rankled by the fact Mayor Sheila Dix- Howard County chapter of PFLAG-Parents, on and members of the City Council Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. and staff failed to personally appear at (Several of the chapter’s steering committee World AIDS Day events on December members are pictured.) 1 and the lack of copy the Baltimore The ad offers season’s greetings to Sun devoted to the commemoration, holiday shoppers as they enter the mall several AIDS activists wrote an open through the food court. It also carries a dis- are here,” explained Heath Goisovich, the advertising. This particular eye-level ad is a letter to complain. tinct and unmistakable message: “Someone chapter’s Events Chair and the originator directory style display that is seen in many of Dozens of organizations spon- you LOVE is GAY.” Included is the chapter’s of the idea to create and purchase the ad. the nation’s mall entrances and aisles. sored Baltimore’s citywide World AIDS website, pflagmd.org. “When I thought about putting up an ad in The PFLAG chapter’s acclaimed “Some- Day events, which included several The ad with its message was aimed at the Columbia Mall, it seemed like the perfect one you LOVE is GAY” campaign began others around the city. bringing awareness to suburban shoppers place to get the attention of so many that can over two years ago when a sign was placed “A Deputy was sent to speak in as to the existence of PFLAG. benefit from an organization such as ours.” on the back of county buses for a several the Mayor’s place,” the letter indicated. “I have always been surprised about Randee Wilding, a chapter member, month period. Using the same theme, a TV “While members of the Mayor’s staff the amount of people, even within the lgbt was the principal designer of the ad. commercial aired on the local Comcast Bra- provided a great amount of GREATLY population, that do not know what PFLAG Goisovich (shown second from the vo channel that explained the likelihood that appreciated support for the event, the is and have always felt that we need to do right) worked with Clear Channel Malls, a a family member, a co-worker, a friend or a Mayor’s personal priorities clearly lay whatever we can to get the word out that we national company that specializes in mall -- continued on page 27 elsewhere.” The letter made no reference to the fact that Mayor Dixon had been D.C. City Council Passes Marriage Equality on trial, and the guilty verdict for steal- ing gift cards was handed down a few On December 15 the Washington D.C. City According to the most recent figures hours before her scheduled appear- Council passed a bill for a second time, as from the U.S. Census, there are more than ance at the ceremony, which took required by council rules, that provides equal 750,000 same-sex couples living in the place outside Mount Vernon United marriage rights for lgbt couples living in the United States. Between 1 million and 9 mil- Methodist Church facing the Wash- District of Columbia. lion children are being raised by lesbian, gay ington Monument. A candlelight vigil “The fight for marriage equality is about and bisexual parents in the United States to- followed. providing couples with basic legal rights like day. In fact, at least one same-sex couple is The letter—signed by Kevin Clem- health insurance and the critical right to visit raising children in 96 percent of all counties ons, William Palmer, John Redmond, one another in the hospital. It is about ensur- nationwide. Greg Satorie and Carlton Smith—cited ing the children who are being raised by lov- Introduced by Council Member David an article in the December 2 edition ing, committed same-sex parents have the Catania (I-At Large), the bill was considered of the Baltimore Sun indicating “Dixon same safeguards as children being raised by the full Council on December 1st. They worked at City Hall for much of the af- by opposite sex parents,” said Morgan Men- voted to approve 11-2. The Council was ternoon, her spokesman said, and in eses-Sheets, Executive Director of Equality required to take a second vote, which was -- continued on page 27 D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty is expected to sing the bill into law. Maryland in a statement. -- continued on page 25 but of harassment as well.” any real need that has such a terrible im- NEWS // LOCAL While Equality Maryland has expressed pact on a community does not seem like a NY Defeat on Marriage Offers Another Lesson concerns regarding the overall impact of this very logical decision or a fair course of ac- detrimental shift, they are especially worried tion by a government agency,” added Ms. Co-Publishers As we lose at the bal- to legalize same-sex marriage—proved that through the Senate Judicial Proceedings Jim Becker, Jim Williams New MVA Policy Detrimental about the impact on low-income Maryland- Meneses-Sheets. lot box and in state the predicted destruction of civilization failed Committee. This, despite the fact we have [email protected] ers. In a survey done by the National Center Equality Maryland has been working legislatures, we pick to materialize. a Democratic governor, Democratic leaders Executive Editor for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and the hard in coalition with several of our part- up some valuable In New York, it seemed that we were on in both the House and Senate and an over- Jim Becker to Transgender Marylanders National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, they ners to resolve this matter, but at this point [email protected] lessons in our quest the precipice of adding another state to the whelming majority of Democrats in each found that 27% of transgender individuals the MVA is prepared to move forward with for marriage equal- five whom have seen the light. The state’s chamber. That committee has also been Managing Editor The Maryland Ve- make less than $20,000 a year; 15% make this very backward and potentially danger- Steve Charing OUTSPOKEN ity in Maryland. Assembly voted several times in favor of le- responsible for applying a stranglehold on [email protected] hicle Administration less than $10, 000. Much of this is due to the ous policy change in the New Year. They L e g i s l a t o r s galizing marriage for same-sex couples. But transgender protection legislation. Production Director (MVA) is currently fact that transgender people are so often the are calling on their members to contact Steve ChariNG in Maine earlier in a handful of Democrats in the state Senate By keeping the marriage bill as well Hannah-Love Shibley considering an up- victims of discrimination in the workplace. Governor O’Malley, Attorney General Doug the year approved changed their minds and voted against the as the transgender measure bottled up in [email protected] date to their policy By requiring additional legal fees to obtain Gansler, MVA Counsel Jonathan Acton and same-sex marriage bill. By a vote of 24-38, the Senate killed the committee, we are deprived of an up-and- Sales Director regarding changing a license with the correct gender marker, an Motor Vehicle Administrator John Kuo. Mary Taylor and the governor signed it into down vote to determine who our [email protected] the gender marker added financial burden is being placed on “We are very concerned about the law, only to have it undone by friends—and our enemies—re- Leather Columnist on a driver’s license. a community that is already struggling. Ap- impact that this will have on transgen- referendum. That vote in No- ally are. Those close to the Rodney Burger The new policy proximately 1/3 of transgender individuals der Marylanders. We are still hoping that vember stripped marriage equal- legislative process believe that Gossip Columnist would go into effect are black, and it should be especially noted the implementation of this harmful policy ity from the state’s lgbt couples. Senate President Thomas V. Sam Kunz on January 1, 2010. that 35% of transgender African Americans change will be halted,” Ms. Meneses-Sheets From this we learned that win- “Mike” Miller wants to keep it Contributing Writers The current make less then $10k. This places an added concluded. Josh Aterovis, Jeffrey Clagett, Chuck Duncan, Rickie Green, ning marriage equality at the that way because he is loathe to Jonathan Hernandez, Eva Hersh MD, Doug Ireland, Jay Loane, PS policy allows for a financial burden to people who are already Equality Maryland (equalitymaryland. ballot box is a long way off, if it see such a potentially conten- Lorio, Meredith Moise, Sandy Rawls, Bob Roehr, Ben Ryland, Gregg change to the gen- financially destitute. org) is Maryland’s largest lgbt civil rights or- ever happens, and it should be tious and divisive bill make it to Shapiro, Nate Sweeney, Larry Walker der marker, so long A similar change was considered in ganization, focused on making life better for avoided at all costs. the floor. Writing Intern as an applicant is the past. Due to the fact that the MVA was gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citi- Even with fewer resourc- But we need to help Marty Hoegg able to provide a unable to demonstrate sufficient reasoning zens of Maryland.