Dear Friends,

Today is an important day. It is the 8th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, which is set aside every year to memorialize those who have been killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. Sadly, this day is necessary; we — the LGBT and allied community — will not stand in silence while a perpetual cycle of violence continues to spring from intolerance and fear of individuals whose gender identity and expression is different from the norm.

Transgender individuals are disproportionately targeted for violent crimes because some in our society actually fail to see transgender people as human beings. Violence is the most egregious form of harm suffered by those of us who are transgender; but harms against this diverse community of individuals from all walks of life occurs in the form of discrimination -- in health care, employment, housing, and other sectors of daily life.

In 2001, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation to prohibit discrimination against individuals on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation. Notably absent from the passage of this law is the category of gender identity and expression, which assures protections for transgender individuals and those with varying gender expressions.

On this 8th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, Equality Maryland reiterates its commitment to banning discrimination statewide against transgender people. We are committed to working with our allies in the General Assembly for the introduction and passage of this legislation in 2007, and we ask all of you to join us on this important journey towards equality.

In Partnership and Equality,

Dan Furmansky
Executive Director

P.S. To get involved in these efforts, sign up for our TransEquality Listserv.  Learn how you can help!