- March 11, 2009
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- Media Alert
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- Maryland General Assembly Set to Vote on Risky "Gender
Identity" Bill
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- Maryland Retailers Association Amendment Confirms
- Opening Women's Restrooms/Showers to Cross-Dressers
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- Contact: Maryland Citizens for a Responsible Government
- (Michelle Turner, 301-335-6042, michellenturner@verizon.net)
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- March 10, 2009 -- Women and children will face one of
the greatest threats to privacy, safety and security that Maryland residents
have ever known with the passage of a "Gender Identity" bill
now before Maryland House and Senate legislators.
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- The proposed law adds a broadly defined category of "gender
identity" to the state's existing anti-discrimination law. Because
the bill's broad definition of "gender identity" includes "expression
and behavior," men are not required to have undergone a sex change
operation. The Maryland Retailers Association has purportedly agreed to
allow men to enter women's bathrooms.
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- "The effect of this bill is to give special rights
to men who want to dress like women, but completely disregards the safety
of vulnerable women and children," notes Ruth Jacobs, M.D., president
of Maryland Citizens for a Responsible Government. "Restrooms and
showers will be opened up to cross-dressing or female affirming men, thereby
allowing undressing in front of women and children in a woman's locker
room."
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- "We believe that the bill should be dropped,"
says Dr. Jacobs. "Even the senator sponsoring the bill admits that
he does not understand gender identity issues."
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- "If it is not dropped, then exemptions similar to
the Baltimore City law stating 'It is not discrimination for any person
to provide separate toilet facilities for males and females' and other
exemptions as signed by [then mayor and now] Governor Martin O'Malley should
be included."
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- Gender Identity Bill HB474/SB566 imposes fines for public
accommodations and allows imprisonment and fines for housing violations.
The bill includes a "private cause of action" giving any cross
dressing employee the right to sue employers in state court. Awards can
include back pay and up to $400,000 in damages not including punitive damages.
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- To stop passage of HB474/SB566, call, write or email
your legislators and urge them to vote "NO" to this dangerous
piece of legislation. Visit Maryland Citizens for a Responsible Government
website at www.notmyshower.com for the contact information for Maryland
legislators. Contact the Maryland Retailers Association at 410-269-1440
and ask them to withdraw any show of support for HB474/SB566.
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- Vote NO on Gender Identity Bill - HB 474 and SB 566
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- Maryland Citizens for a Responsible Government: Protecting
Your Family
- www.NotMyShower.com
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