The EqMD Insider

JULY 2008:

Return to current blog posts

Wednesday, July 30, 2008


My Life as an intern


Vanessa Bowling is currently interning with Equality Maryland. Vanessa is from Maryland and majors in Public Relations at Morgan State University. She is the president of Rainbow Soul, MSU’s gay-straight alliance.

As a college student you are told from the start that you should take as many internship opportunities as possible to get you ready for the crazy place adults like to call "the real world." Since my college career started four years later than the average college freshman, I had been to the real world and was more than happy to take a four to eight year break for college and medical school. Just as quickly as my major changed from biology to public relations, I learned that you are always in the real world and wanted to find a summer internship. Since I took over as President of Morgan State's Gay Straight Alliance, Rainbow Soul, I have been much more involved in the LGBT community; so when the idea of internships crossed my mind I had no doubt that I wanted to do it with a LGBT civil rights organization.

Other than the fact that Equality Maryland is very close to my home, I loved the staff and the fact that it's not a huge organization that would refer to me as "intern #6" and wouldn't even say my name when they asked me to run to the local Starbucks to get them all coffee. Equality Maryland is a state-wide organization that makes a huge impact on everyone's lives, and does so with only six staff! I had already worked with most of the staff and the idea of spending long grueling summer hours with them was very exciting. I told all of my Resident Assistant co-workers and Rainbow Soul members about my internship and was ready to take on the world, or at least the state of Maryland.

On my first day not only did I meet the rest of the staff, Susan and Mike, I also met my fellow summer intern David, who was interning from Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Meyers, Florida. I was so happy to have another intern working alongside me that I took no time to get to know everything about him that I could learn in a short two month period. Everyone was so nice and welcoming that I almost forgot that I was in a cocoon of being "Professionally Gay." That would soon change when I went to staff a table at a state agency's so-called diversity day and someone approached me and told me I could be counseled through my homosexuality if I was gay and if I wasn't that I should pass his card on to someone who could use it. And he was serious! Of course I was a little traumatized at first but after getting my "welcome to the world of LGBT non-profit work" text message from my supervisor Mary, I learned that this was the exact reason that I wanted to be involved in this type of work.

Although I didn't have any more experiences with the so-called "ex-gay" movement, I did enter the world of constant meetings. My first conference call was with a large group of people, including one of my best friends Samantha. I can remember sending her a text in the middle of the call stating how exciting it was to be on this call. I was even more excited that my new power phone (Treo 755) was being used for actual business purposes and not just to text a classmate to ask them to sign me in for math class because I just couldn't sit through another proof before the weekend. My calendar was filled with meetings and conference calls and even occasional lunch dates and group outings. I was told by Lea, Outreach Director for The Maryland Black Family Alliance (MBFA) and the Marylanders of Color Collective (MOCC), that I would soon be sick of meetings. She was right! By the way, if you want to sign up for either the MOCC or MBFA e-newsletter please send me an e-mail at Vanessa@equalitymaryland.org – I know it's a cheap plug, but hey, the work of an intern never ends.

Even though everyday as an Equality Maryland intern is fun, there have also been some moments that will stick out – like the day we got advance tickets to see Mamma Mia! in Silver Spring. Many of the members of the Equality Maryland family were there and I even got to bring my mom as my date for the movie. After the movie we decided to spend some time in downtown Silver Spring. Little did I know that that was going to be the first time I was hit on by a man in front of not only my mother but also a group of LGBT activists. There was also a volunteer appreciation party where we all got to cut loose and hang out in the pool. The most surprising moment of the day was when I was awarded "Pride Volunteer of the Year." I also marched in the Capital Pride Parade in the pouring rain and got to work at LatinoFest in Paterson Park.

All in all my internship experience has been great! I not only met great people I also got great experience to put on my resume. Equality Maryland has become like a home away from home and I enjoy spending time with every staff member because they have really become like a family to me.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008


I love my EQMD Volunteers!


Mary Zicari is Equality Maryland's Field Organizer.

There are a lot of things I love about my job, but I'd have to say that working with volunteers is one of my favorites. It never ceases to amaze me how passionate and committed our volunteers are. They come from all walks of life. We have an 89 year old and her gay son who come into the office every week without fail; a high school GSA and their coordinator who make beautiful posters for our annual lobby days; a straight ally who proudly wears his "Civil Marriage is a Civil Right" t-shirt everywhere he goes; the president of Morgan State University's GSA (Rainbow Soul) who tabled for us at almost every pride festival this summer; a trans woman who comes to every volunteer night no matter where it is and what we are doing; and a dynamic group of district coordinators who have the energy and focus to make things happen in their legislative districts. Every volunteer has their own reason for taking out time from their busy schedules to help Equality Maryland. But they all have one thing in common – their invaluable contribution to furthering fairness and equality for all citizens of Maryland. From data entry to testifying in front of a legislative committee in Annapolis, these volunteers stand alongside EQMD and our work could not get done without their contributions.

On Sunday we brought many of these fabulous volunteers together to celebrate their hard work and many accomplishments. Eleven of these outstanding volunteers received awards in recognition of their contributions from this past year.

Meet our 2008 Volunteer Award Recipients:

Events Volunteer of the Year: Mike Cornell
Mike really stepped up this year in expanding our Silent Auction program for the Night Out for Equality. He was able to diversify and increase the items donated by local businesses and this enabled us to fundraise even more from the auction!

Citizen Lobbyist of the Year: Lorie Benning
Lorie made a big impact this year both in Baltimore and Annapolis. She testified in front of the Baltimore City Council for the resolution supporting marriage equality. She shared her story with a number of legislators in Annapolis and really made a difference in their thinking about marriage equality. She is currently forming Equality group in her district (District 43 for those of you who are interested!).

Pride Volunteer of the Year: Vanessa Bowling
Vanessa volunteered at our tables at DC Black Pride, Capital Pride, LatinoFest, and Baltimore Pride. She also marched with us in the Capital Pride Parade. Vanessa educated countless pride-goers about Equality Maryland and the work that we do. Despite the hot temperatures, Vanessa always has a big smile on her face and is ready to talk to the next potential member of the EQMD family.

Public Educator of the Year: Sally Wall
Sally is the first person we think of when EQMD staff are unavailable for speaking engagements. She has represented the organization at many of these engagements and other outreach venues in Maryland. She is an impressive ambassador and dynamic speaker.

Equality Group of the Year: Equality 45
Equality 45 is a group of neighbors in State Legislative District 45 who came together to form a more organized political effort in their district. They held a town hall last year where Sen. McFadden, an important legislator to have on our side, committed publicly to support the marriage equality bill for the first time. They continue to think of new ways to flex their political muscle in their various communities.

District Coordinator of the Year: Hugh Silcox
After some hesitancy to come on board this year as a District Coordinator, Hugh really proved to be perfect for the job. He reached out to open and affirming churches and posted flyers all over Fell's Point to recruit citizen lobbyists to come to EQMD's annual lobby day. Hugh brought his team of lobbyists together to strategize about the meetings, and to this day he continues to keep them updated on what's happening with their legislators and how unrelated current events can tie into our fight.

Campaign Volunteer of the Year: Maryanne Arnow
Maryanne spent countless hours poring over thousands of signatures for Basic Rights Montgomery. She showed up every day with a positive attitude and a smile on her face. Despite the mundane nature of the task at hand, Maryanne's energy was always high!

Office Volunteer of the Year: Bernice and Steve Melov
Every Thursday I count on seeing our mother-son team, Bernice and Steve, at the EQMD office. They usually beat me here! Bernice, now 89, dreams of the day she will see her son marry his partner of 30+ years. I can always count on them for a laugh and a breath of fresh air. If you receive mailings from us, you can be sure that they were folded and labeled with Steve and Bernice's touch!

New Volunteer of the Year: Laura Hart
Laura has been outstanding this past year. For a time, she was volunteering in the office once a week. She attended almost every volunteer night we have in the state even though she lives in St. Mary's County! She took on the difficult role of District Coordinator for a tough district, and she spent hours and hours on the Basic Rights Montgomery signature review.

Professional Service Provider of the Year: Dominic Vecchiollo
Dominic is a graphic designer that we often call on for help with print ads and other needs. Many times he provides his services free of charge or deeply discounted. I know, particularly with my requests, Dominic doesn't get much notice and turns things out for us with the speed and ease only a professional can pull off.

Volunteer of the Year: Steve Kay
Steve can be counted on for everything. From serving as our volunteer photographer at the 2008 Lobby Day to showing up at every volunteer event we've had, Steve is a straight ally who unabashedly wears his support for our community on his sleeve. No matter what the event or occasion, I can always count on seeing Steve and having him ask if there's anything he can do to help.

If you'd like information on Equality groups, District Coordinators or other volunteer opportunities, email me!

Monday, July 14, 2008


Congressional Hearing on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)


David Grant is currently interning with Equality Maryland. David is from southwest Florida and majors in Legal Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University. He plans to go to law school and work for a non-profit organization.

You know those boring hearings you see on CSPAN where the members of congress say "blah" and the other guy says "blah" and next thing you know you've fallen asleep? Well, I attended one of those congressional hearings and it was thrilling, honestly! For the first time in history, Congress held a hearing on transgender issues. The Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Congressional Committee held a hearing on whether to add gender identity to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).

I felt like a teenager at their first Justin Timberlake concert as Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) walked in! There, in the flesh, was a celebrity in the LGBT political world, and I got to see him in action. Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), an openly lesbian representative, also spoke. The juxtaposition of the two testimonies worked quite well. Rep. Baldwin gave formal yet compelling testimony on how having an anti-discrimination law in her home state allowed her to fulfill her dreams and the trans community should have the same benefits. In his humorous way, Rep. Frank gave an equally compelling testimony that highlighted the inequality in not adding gender identity to ENDA. This was such a proud moment; in the Capitol of the United States - two openly gay representatives were not only testifying, but were so well respected that the Chair of the Committee highlighted both of their accomplishments.

After a short recess, the panel of witnesses sat in front of the committee. This is the point where I expected a lot of "blah, blah," but was surprised when the testimonies started. Diane Schroer, a retired Colonel, told the committee that she served in the Army for many years where she was highly respected by her colleagues and her superiors. After leaving the military and being offered a position at the Library of Congress, Diane told her soon-to-be supervisor she was going to transition before starting her job. The next day Diane's future supervisor told her that she no longer had the position. Instead of falling asleep, I found myself enthralled by her testimony. To hear how someone who had served our country with honor could be turned down for a job solely because she was becoming who she really was made me want to jump up and start picketing the Library of Congress. I chose to sit and listen to the rest of the hearing instead.

Some other moving testimonies included Sabrina Marcus Taraboletti who worked for NASA as a shuttle engineer and was fired after she informed her bosses she was transitioning. Bill Hendrix also testified that Dow, the corporation he was representing, has included gender identity in their anti-discrimination rules and this has enhanced their company and its workers.

The comic relief came in the way of Glen Lavy, a representative for the Alliance Defense Fund. To say that Lavy did not give a strong argument would be giving him a compliment. Lavy claimed that forcing employers to be tolerant would infringe on their religion. To Lavy, it seems to do more harm to take away one person's religious freedom than it is to take away another person's personal freedom to be protected from discrimination. Also, Lavy mentioned how Montgomery County is allowing men in women's bathrooms because of the gender identity inclusion (conveniently omitting that this law is suspended pending a likely referendum). It took a lot of restraint to keep from laughing. At the risk of being trite, I would compare Lavy's face to the look of a deer in headlights when the Chair asked him hypothetical questions.

Chair Robert Andrew's (D-NJ) focus on Lavy included a barrage of questions that tore Lavy's argument apart. One of the questions Andrews asked was whether or not someone who believed in white supremacy should be allowed to fire a black man because of his beliefs. The crowd chuckled quietly as the camera showed Lavy's blank face, and after a good ten seconds Lavy replied that he was unaware of anyone with those religious beliefs. Much like I am unaware of any religion that prohibits people from working with someone because of their gender identity. It was quite amusing to sit there and watch Lavy stumble over his words. Who knew these hearings could be so entertaining?

One of the most encouraging parts of the hearing was when Rep. Don Payne (D-NJ) got a chance to speak. He explained how he is not on that committee but wanted to sit in on it. Rep. Payne felt strongly enough about the issue to take time out of his day and support the LGBT community. Before asking questions, Rep. Payne explained how he was against discrimination of any kind. Then Rep. Payne asked the panel about the bathroom issue and stated he saw a lot of head shakes when Lavy claimed Montgomery County allows men in women's bathrooms. Colonel Schroer said that using the women's restroom has never been an issue for her. Mr. Minter explained how in the large majority of cases coworkers adjust quickly to someone who is transitioning and adjust to them using the bathroom of the gender they identify as.

Politics seem to shy away from calling LGBT rights a moral obligation, but Rep. Phil Hare (D-IL) did just that. Rep. Hare claimed that politicians have to make this moral judgment and it was their moral obligation to include gender identity in federal legislation prohibiting discrimination. Hare also went on to say how their job is to regulate what is just. With a quick sense of humor Rep. Hare also stated how if we can put a man into space, we can figure out the bathrooms.

This hearing was a monumental occasion for the LGBT community! Seeing history take place on an issue that has never been raised was a huge privilege. I highly encourage everyone to go to these hearings or contact your members of Congress to show your support. Not only are you supporting the LGBT community but you are witnessing history. Seeing people like Glen Lavy making a fool of his cause is an added bonus.

Could the government actually be helping the LGBT community? We'll see!

Tuesday, July 8, 2008


Equality Maryland Back in Court


David Grant is currently interning with Equality Maryland. David is from southwest Florida and majors in Legal Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University. He plans to go to law school and work for a non-profit organization.

On Wednesday, June 11th Equality Maryland was back in Court. Partnering with Lambda Legal, HRC, and the Gay and Lesbian Task Force, we faced off with the Montgomery County Board of Elections. The legal team includes local lawyer Jonathan Shurberg and two lawyers from Lambda Legal.

In summary, the Montgomery County Council unanimously passed a law barring discrimination based on gender identity and expression in Montgomery County in November 2007. However, a right-wing group calling themselves The Citizens for Responsible Government (CRG) claimed that it gathered enough signatures to put the issue before voters in November 2008. CRG used some questionable methods, to say the least, of obtaining the required number of signatures. Equality Maryland then challenged the petition and the two sets of signatures.

There we are in the courtroom, ready for battle and Judge Greenberg enters. The judge allows the opposing counsel to begin. One of the issues being contested is the signatures that are not valid because they do not include the signers' full first, last, and (at least) their middle initial. The lawyer for the Board of Elections (BOE) claims that not everyone knows how they are supposed to sign a petition or how their name appears on their voter registration cards.

After a barrage of questions for the BOE it was our turn. One of the issues that was to be determined was whether our side challenged the first set of signatures too late. Our argument was that the BOE did not inform anyone that the signatures were validated. The judge determined that it is not the duty of the BOE to notify the public when signatures are validated and therefore the challenge was too late.

Feeling a little disheartened while waiting endlessly for the judge and lawyers emerged. Fueled with curiosity everyone started buzzing around trying to hear the news. Our curiosity became heightened when Mr. Shurberg took a few people aside to reveal the findings. It turns out there are two types of voters in Maryland that must be included in the total number of signatures required to petition a law to referendum. The first type is active voters, who are voters who have voted in at least one of the two prior elections. The other types of voters are inactive voters, who are registered voters who have not voted twice consecutively. The BOE only counted the number of active voters in the signatures submitted. It is our position that both active and inactive voters must be counted in determining the required number of signatures. This may mean that CRG did not get enough signatures.

The final ruling on whether there are enough valid signatures will be decided as soon as this week. We will continue to keep you updated on this and other issues that affect you!