Equality Maryland
Encyclopedia
Equality Maryland is a non-profit organization
formerly headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland
, now based in Baltimore. Its activities focus on advocacy
and education
with regard to a number of LGBT social and political movements
. Recently its goals have included the passage of laws to prohibit discrimination
based on sexual orientation
and gender expression and identity
, expand Maryland
's existing hate-crimes statute
, increase availability of domestic partner benefits, and achieve legal recognition of same-sex marriage in Maryland
.
The organization began operations in 1990 under the name of Free State Justice, changing its name to Equality Maryland in 2004. It achieved a major legislative
victory in 2001 with the passage of the Maryland Anti-Discrimination Act, which banned discrimination in Maryland on the basis of sexual orientation in the areas of housing
, employment
, lending, and public accommodations. In 2002 the organization succeeded in securing the passage of a Baltimore City ordinance
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 the Maryland General Assembly
, but was defeated in a Senate committee
.
In recent years, Equality Maryland has devoted significant resources toward the legal recognition of same-sex relationships
. Most famously, in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union
, it filed a lawsuit in 2004 to overturn the state's ban on same-sex marriage. This case was heard before the Maryland Court of Appeals
(the state's high court) in December, 2006; in September, 2007 the court ruled against the plaintiffs, leaving the statutory ban on same-sex marriage in place (see Same-sex marriage in Maryland
).
In 2005, the Maryland General Assembly passed two Equality Maryland-backed bills
to created domestic partner registries to secure a limited number of legal benefits for same-sex couples, but the bills were vetoed by then-Governor Robert Ehrlich
.
In early 2007, Equality Maryland launched a high-profile campaign
, Marylanders For Marriage, to increase public support for same-sex marriage in the state. This campaign, which features the controversial motto "Civil Marriage
is a Civil Right
," has included the launch of a website
, promotion at gay pride
festivals and other events, and the distribution of yard signs and bumper stickers. These efforts have attracted attention around Maryland, both positive and negative.
and board of directors
, and a related political action committee
.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
formerly headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...
, now based in Baltimore. Its activities focus on advocacy
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
and education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
with regard to a number of LGBT social and political movements
LGBT social movements
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender social movements share inter-related goals of social acceptance of sexual and gender minorities. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their allies have a long history of campaigning for what is generally called LGBT rights, also called gay...
. Recently its goals have included the passage of laws to prohibit discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
based on sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
and gender expression and identity
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
, expand Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
's existing hate-crimes statute
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
, increase availability of domestic partner benefits, and achieve legal recognition of same-sex marriage in Maryland
Same-sex marriage in Maryland
The U.S. state of Maryland does not currently perform same-sex marriage. In 2004, supporters of same-sex marriage filed a lawsuit, Deane & Polyak v. Conaway, which sought to allow these unions to occur in the state...
.
History and Activities
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
victory in 2001 with the passage of the Maryland Anti-Discrimination Act, which banned discrimination in Maryland on the basis of sexual orientation in the areas of housing
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
, employment
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
, lending, and public accommodations. In 2002 the organization succeeded in securing the passage of a Baltimore City ordinance
Local ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
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 the Maryland General Assembly
Maryland General Assembly
The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is a bicameral body. The upper chamber, the Maryland State Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamber, the Maryland House of Delegates, has 141 representatives...
, but was defeated in a Senate committee
Committee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
.
In recent years, Equality Maryland has devoted significant resources toward the legal recognition of same-sex relationships
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
. Most famously, in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
, it filed a lawsuit in 2004 to overturn the state's ban on same-sex marriage. This case was heard before the Maryland Court of Appeals
Maryland Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals of Maryland is the supreme court of the U.S. state of Maryland. The court, which is composed of one chief judge and six associate judges, meets in the Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building in the state capital, Annapolis...
(the state's high court) in December, 2006; in September, 2007 the court ruled against the plaintiffs, leaving the statutory ban on same-sex marriage in place (see Same-sex marriage in Maryland
Same-sex marriage in Maryland
The U.S. state of Maryland does not currently perform same-sex marriage. In 2004, supporters of same-sex marriage filed a lawsuit, Deane & Polyak v. Conaway, which sought to allow these unions to occur in the state...
).
In 2005, the Maryland General Assembly passed two Equality Maryland-backed bills
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
to created domestic partner registries to secure a limited number of legal benefits for same-sex couples, but the bills were vetoed by then-Governor Robert Ehrlich
Robert Ehrlich
Robert Leroy "Bob" Ehrlich, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 60th Governor of Maryland from 2003 to 2007. A Republican, he became governor after defeating Democratic opponent Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, a member of the Kennedy family, 51% to 48% in the 2002 elections...
.
In early 2007, Equality Maryland launched a high-profile campaign
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
, Marylanders For Marriage, to increase public support for same-sex marriage in the state. This campaign, which features the controversial motto "Civil Marriage
Civil marriage
Civil marriage is marriage performed by a government official and not a religious organization.-History:Every country maintaining a population registry of its residents keeps track of marital status, and most countries believe that it is their responsibility to register married couples. Most...
is a Civil Right
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
," has included the launch of a website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
, promotion at gay pride
Gay pride
LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...
festivals and other events, and the distribution of yard signs and bumper stickers. These efforts have attracted attention around Maryland, both positive and negative.
Organizational structure
Equality Maryland has three divisions, which share offices, staff, and other resources: two non-profit organizations, each of which has its own missionMission statement
A mission statement is a statement of the purpose of a company or organization. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making...
and board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
, and a related political action committee
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
.
- Equality Maryland, Inc., is a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization focused on direct and grassrootsGrassrootsA grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
lobbyingLobbyingLobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
to pass laws in to further the organization's goals.
- The Equality Maryland Foundation is a 501(c)(3) educational organization whose activities focus on outreach, education, researchResearchResearch can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
, community organizingCommunity organizingCommunity organizing is a process where people who live in proximity to each other come together into an organization that acts in their shared self-interest. A core goal of community organizing is to generate durable power for an organization representing the community, allowing it to influence...
, trainingTrainingThe term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...
, and coalitionCoalitionA coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
building.
See also
- LGBT rights in the United States
- List of LGBT rights organizations