The organization began operations in 1990 under the name of Free State Justice, inspired by the Baltimore Justice Campaign that organized the successful amendment to the city's human rights law for gays andlesbians in 1988. The organization was renamed Equality Maryland in 2004. Equality Maryland has three divisions, which shareoffices, staff, and other resources: two non-profit organizations, each of which has its ownmission andboard of directors, and a relatedpolitical action committee.[2]
Equality Maryland, Inc., is a501(c)(4) advocacy organization focused on direct andgrassrootslobbying to pass laws in to further the organization's goals.[2]
In2001, EQMD achieved alegislative victory with the passage of the Maryland Anti-Discrimination Act, which banned discrimination in Maryland on the basis of sexual orientation in the areas ofhousing,employment,lending, and public accommodations. In 2002, the organization succeeded in securing the passage of a Baltimore Cityordinance banning discrimination against individuals based on gender identity and expression. One of its primary goals has been the passage of a law prohibiting this kind of discrimination statewide; in 2007, such a bill was introduced in theMaryland General Assembly, but was defeated in aSenatecommittee.[4]
In2007, EQMD launched a statewide visibility campaign, Marylanders For Marriage, to increase public support for same-sex marriage.[11][12] The campaign, featuring the motto "Civil Marriage is aCivil Right," included the launch of a website, promotion atgay pride festivals and other events, and the distribution ofyard signs andbumper stickers across the state.[12][13]
InDecember 2009, EQMD prevented the implementation of aMaryland Motor Vehicle Administration policy that would have requiredtransgender Marylanders to amend theirbirth certificates in order to update the gender section of their driver's licenses.[14][15] Making such a change to a driver's license would have then required going through the court system and having undergonegenital reconstruction procedures, which LGBT advocates have said "creates significant barriers for individuals to obtain accurate identification reflecting the way they live."[16]
In 2010, EQMD's field team volunteers identified over 10,000 new supporters ofgender identity anti-discrimination protections andsame-sex marriage throughout the state,[14][15] and its 2010 election cycle campaign helped to increase LGBT representation in the state legislature, electing seven openlyLGBTQDelegates andSenators, and 73 of their 81 endorsed candidates.[14][17] Throughout 2010, EQMD increased its grassroots efforts with the launch of action teams across six counties, eventually leading to advances inLGBT rights and protections never before seen in Maryland's history.[14][15]
In January 2011, EQMD and LGBT rights supporters helped to introduce a same-sex marriage bill[18] for which the governor expressed his support.[19] In February 2011, the "Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act" was approved, 25–21, in theMaryland Senate,[20] but later failed to be voted on in theHouse of Delegates.[21]
In February 2012, theMaryland General Assembly approved theCivil Marriage Protection Act, and Governor O'Malley signed it into law on March 1, 2012. This new bill included more explicit legal protections for religious institutions, individuals and their programs.[24][25][26]
In March 2012, a poll commissioned by Marylanders for Marriage Equality, of which EQMD is a part, and conducted byPublic Policy Polling, found that 52% of Maryland voters would "probably" or "definitely" vote in favor of the same-sex marriage bill if it is on the ballot in November; while 44% of Maryland voters would "probably" or "definitely" oppose it.[27]
^"Our History". First Unitarian Church of Baltimore. In 2007, the church hung a banner proclaiming Civil Marriage is a Civil Right from [the] columns of its portico as a [testament] to its commitment to equal rights for all. The message was adopted for GLBT rights group, Equality Maryland and now appears on signs and bumper stickers across the state. Archived fromthe original on February 8, 2012. RetrievedFebruary 10, 2012.
