Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 00:41:42 EDT From: Bob Summersgill Subject: Maryland Civil Rights Bill Brochure With Liberty and Justice For All FREE STATE JUSTICE CAMPAIGN Why Do Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Marylanders Need Civil Rights Protection? Ask these folks who live in Maryland: The Gay and Lesbian Veterans of Maryland were denied permission to march in Catonsville's July 4th parade. When a lesbian gave her lover "a peck on the cheek" at their neighborhood bar, the bar owner responded: "There are places for people like you!" The owner called the police, who verbally abused and arrested the two women. As a result of the arrest, one of the women lost her job. A gay male hotel employee lost his job because his boss thought his new haircut reflected his lifestyle. A gay man's supervisor at BWI Airport harassed the man and called him derogatory names related to his sexual orientation. The gay man was told that he had no legal recourse against his supervisor's continual harassment. Despite his excellent work performance, the gay man was forced to resign. A lesbian schoolteacher's custody battle with her children's father turned ugly when the father threatened to tell school officials and the PTA that the mother was a lesbian. Under the threat of losing her job, she was forced to drop the case and lost custody. No federal law prohibits this discrimination! No constitutional protection will stop this discrimination! Under the law of the state of Maryland, these acts are legal, and they could happen to any lesbian, gay, or bisexual person! From No Rights to Equal Rights Time after time, the courts have shown us that lesbian, gay, and bisexual people are not protected by the current civil rights laws that forbid discrimination because of race, sex, and religion. Arbitrary discrimination simply because of a person's sexual orientation is legal unless civil rights laws specifically include sexual orientation. Evidence of discrimination appears everyday. Surveys of lesbian and gay Maryland citizens reveal that many have lost jobs and housing because of their sexual orientation. Many others live in fear. A University of Maryland study showed that lesbian, gay, and bisexual people have been economically hurt by job discrimination. Lesbian, gay and bisexual Marylanders are asking for the same right to be judged on job performance or for paying their rent on time that heterosexual people have. Civil rights protections aren't special rights--they give everyone a fair and equal chance. What the Bill, HB 127, Would Do Maryland already protects its citizens against discrimination on the basis of race, creed, sex, age, color, national origin, marital status, or mental or emotional handicap. The "Sexual Orientation Bill" simply adds sexual orientation to this list. The legislation allows victims of discrimination to file complaints with the state's Human Relations Commission, which would investigate the complaints, and could, if necessary, take offenders to court. The legislation does not call for any sort of affirmative action or quotas. Legislation of this type is not new. In 1982, Wisconsin passed the first state law barring such discrimination. Since then, Minnesota, California, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, Hawaii, and the District of Columbia have passed similar laws. It is also not new to Maryland. Baltimore City, Montgomery, Prince George's, and Howard Counties already have ordinances extending some protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. These ordinances have varying levels of coverage, however, and are subject to repeal. And half the state's population remains unprotected. Passage of a state law would assure that all Marylanders have recourse against bias that affects their ability to earn a living or find a home, whether they are straight, lesbian, gay, or bisexual. Passing this legislation in Maryland will also strengthen the effort to pass similar federal legislation. Fears that the legislation might frighten away employers are unfounded. Many of the state's large employers already have policies against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, including MCI, AT&T, General Motors, Bethlehem Steel, and General Electric. And Governer Schaefer recently issued an executive order forbidding discrimination because of sexual orientation in state employment. "I feel that it is proper to protect the right for an individual to equal opportunity in hiring. Job decisions such as hiring, firing and promotion should be solely based on an individual's ability to perform the job. An individual's sexual orientation is not relevant." --Governor William Donald Schaefer in a letter to the Free State Justice Campaign Make this happen: Get involved! The Free State Justice Campaign is a grassroots effort. People from across the state are working to make equal rights a reality for all Marylanders. To make this happen, every caring Maryland citizen --heterosexual, lesbian, gay, and bisexual--must get involved. Add your voice to thousands of others and we will be heard! Call and write your state senator and delegates (see the other side). Tell them to pass the Sexual Orientation Bill, HB 127, and to urge their colleagues to vote for it. Visit your senator and delegates. Show them that they have lesbian, gay, and bisexual constituents who will remember their support (or opposition) at election time. Get your friends and neighbors to write and call in support of HB 127. Join the Free State Justice Campaign and volunteer! We need volunteers to lobby, organize, raise money, do research, and make phone calls. Support the Free State Justice Campaign with your monetary contributions. We receive no outside funding, and every dollar you contribute goes to the civil rights bill effort. This is the Free State Justice Campaign's fourth year on the state political scene. The group was instrumental in requiring the state to collect data on hate crimes related to sexual orientation. Our current focus is the passage of the civil rights bill. The FSJC is also a member of the Maryland Civil Rights Coalition. How to Reach Your Legislators Check your voter registration card to find your district, or call your county's Board of Elections. Tell them you want to know who your legislators are. Baltimore 410-396-5550 Baltimore County 410-887-5210 Anne Arundel 410-222-6600 Prince George's 301-952-3270 Montgomery 301-217-6450 Howard 410-313-2727 In other counties, consult your phone book, or call the operator. Then, call the General Assembly offices at 1-800-492-7122 and ask for your legislator's office. A staff person will note your comments and position on the bill. Write your senator at James Senate Office Building Annapolis, MD 21401 Write your delegates at Lowe House Office Building Annapolis, MD 21401. The General Assembly meets from January until April. Bills can be voted on at any time during that period. Your letter might not be read until after the bill has been voted on. To be sure your opinion is counted, we suggest that you call if you want to contact your legislators after January. Start calling and writing now! Free State Justice Campaign P.O. Box 13221 Baltimore, MD 21203 For more information, call co-chairpersons: Bonnie J. Berger 301-270-4089 John Hannay 410-366-6961 =================================================== Yes; I/we want to contribute to the fight for equal rights in Maryland. I/we will: ___ Write, call, or visit my/our legislators; ___ Ask my/our organization to endorse the Sexual Orientation Bill; ___ Volunteer. Please contact me/us about opportunities. I/we enclose a check for: ___ $20- Basic Membership ___ $5- Student, seniors, and people with lower incomes ___ $50- Organizational Membership ___ $______ Other Checks should be made payable and mailed to: FREE STATE JUSTICE CAMPAIGN P.O. BOX 13221 BALTIMORE, MD 21203. Because we are a political organization, contributions are not tax deductible. Name ______________________________ Organization___________________________ Street________________________________ City__________________________________ State________Zip______________________ Telephone:____________________________ GENERAL ASSEMBLY DISTRICT ________ (Check your voter registration card!) FSJC may occasionally exchange its mailing list with other civil rights organizations. If you wish, we will keep your name confidential. Please check the appropriate box: ___ do not exchange my/our name(s) ___ you may exchange my/our name(s) - Bob Summersgill | Xq28 -- Thanks Mom! XE605C @ GWUVM.GWU.EDU |