Baltimore County Citizens and Maryland residents:
Your help is urgently needed to overturn by petition a dangerous law. The petition will put the issue on the ballot in November, if successful.
PLEASE VOLUNTEER TO HELP WITH THE PETITION AGAINST THE BALTIMORE COUNTY TRANSGENDER LAW
On Tuesday, Feb. 21, the Baltimore County Council passed in a 5-2 party-line vote, a controversial bill which will expand rights for transgenders and crossdressers. On the surface, it may sound benign to some. But the unintended consequences and hidden agendas are what make this a dangerous law for women, children, businesses, churches, and our schools. Don't judge this bill by the topic alone - it's simply a bad bill.
We asked our councilmen to side with common sense, and First Do No Harm. But we were instead labeled and dismissed.
The undefined language in the law could open the door to abuse of the law by pedophiles and predators gaining lawful access to women's restrooms and locker rooms. You don't have to dress like a woman to enter women's facilities under this new law. Interestingly, the council has excluded itself from the Public Accommodations requirement.
We asked the council to protect our women and children with an amendment. Instead, they chose one protected group (transgenders) over another (women and children).
It could require transgender issues being written into children's school curriculum and the mandatory hiring of transgender teachers, permitted to crossdress in the classroom. See info on LGBT agenda here (it's an eye opener!).
We asked our councilmen to simply define and set parameters on the Education requirement. They did not protect our children.
It could become an overwhelming financial burden for small businesses, already struggling in the current economy. Again, the council excluded itself from the anti-discrimination hiring requirements of this law.
The Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce and local small business owners came out against the bill. The concerns of our business community were largely ignored.
And it could force churches and religious institutions to accept a behavior which is not only listed as a disorder by the American Psychiatric Association, but in direct conflict with the teachings of their faith. This would amount to a clear violation of our constitutional right to Freedom of Religion.
No protections for churches were added to the bill before passage.
All right here in Baltimore County, brought to us by five councilmen who voted for irresponsible legislation in order to appease a national, multi-million dollar LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans) lobby conglomerate.
More issues with the bill:
Gender Identity or Expression
The law codifies a disorder and its accompanying behavior, which attempts to normalize the disorder rather than assist those afflicted to seek the help they need. Adding a behavior as a protected group from discrimination opens the door to any other behavior. Previously, protected groups were hard demographics, such as race, creed, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, marital status, and physical or mental disability.
The areas of protection
No definition of the areas of protection are included in the law. The areas of protection are simply listed as: Housing, Employment, Education, Public Accommodation, and Financing. Without definition and parameters, the law leaves us open to wide interpretations and abuse by lawsuit under the guise of discrimination.
Definition of Sexual Orientation
In the law, sexual orientation is defined as homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality. The councilmen were repeatedly asked by PFOX (Parents & Friends Of Ex-Gays) to include Former Homosexuals in the definition. The council's refusal to do so is itself discriminatory.
Public Accommodations
- The language in the law, in an weak attempt to address the privacy and safety issues of gender-specific public accommodations, excludes "facilities that are distinctly private or personal". Instead of settling the concerns, the council will leave it up to us to duke out what that language means. Got a phone, got a lawyer.
- Interestingly, the council excludes itself from the public accommodation requirement, along with The County Government, the County Board of Education, and County Community Colleges. Note that the County Board of Education is not the same as the school system or any particular school within.
- Transgenders were not previously discriminated against in the use of facilities, they have had access to the facility determined by their genitalia, like the rest of us. They were simply uncomfortable with the facility to which they were assigned. Now, with the new law, we can all be uncomfortable.
Religious Organizations
Churches, religious organizations, and fraternal organizations including the Boy Scouts are not protected from the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression new verbiage, even though it is in direct conflict with the teachings of many religious faiths. This is a clear violation of our constitutional right to Freedom of Religion.
Articles:
Insight into LGBT agenda (it's an eye opener):
