Opponents of MoCo's Transgender Law Head Back to Court

The lawsuit filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court this week by opponents of new transgender protections asks the court to block the law from taking effect until residents have an opportunity to vote on the measure.

The legal challenge, filed by the conservative Alliance Defense Fund, comes after Maryland's highest court blocked a referendum on the law from the November ballot.

Opponents of the law, led by the group Maryland Citizens for Responsible Government, also contend that the local Board of Elections should not have removed the referendum from the ballot without a formal ruling from the Circuit Court.

Kevin Karpinski, an attorney for the Board of Elections, said, "It's not even a close call. The question can't appear on the ballot at this point. It's been prepared and sent out."

Gay and transgender rights advocates initially tried to stop the referendum by challenging the petition submitted by Maryland Citizens for Responsible Government and certified by the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

The Court of Appeals overturned a lower court ruling that would have allowed the referendum to go forward.

Marc Hansen, a county attorney, said the transgender law "is in effect" unless the county hears otherwise from a court.

By Ann Marimow |  October 3, 2008; 9:04 AM ET  | Category:  Ann Marimow , Montgomery County
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Remember, transgenders are not hermaphrodites or transvestites or immoral.

Posted by: properbostonian1 | October 3, 2008 10:03 AM

It took a while to let "colored" people use public drinking fountains, etc. Change takes a little bit of time, even when it's right to change.

Posted by: laurie barrett | October 3, 2008 1:06 PM

I can only say that when these people hate, they really hate! Give it a rest and a test. Their hatred is all based on supposition. The "supposed" notion that some perverts are going to dress up as Transexuals and molest them or their children. Exactly why these same perverts can't do this now baffles me. Yet in none (0) of the states having these kinds of laws have any similiar incidents been reported, That's Zero, zilch, Nada... It doesn't happen. It takes a lot of conviction to put on a dress an walk into a ladies room, even with a law allowing one to do it. No molester has that kind of conviction. So let's find out how the law works before we deconstruct it.
Terry

Posted by: Terry | October 4, 2008 10:25 AM

Bigotry is the facet for hatred. When it is turned on fear flows like water finding the easiest path.
I am a transgender woman living authentically in my proper gender. I can not begin to tell you how much my life has become wholly complete and satisfying since transition.
We have always lived within society. The passage of laws to protect the civil rights of transgender people allow a person comfort in the important beginning of transition.
A transgenders deepest fear is to cause another person to discomfort due to our gender expression. It would be a nightmare for me to be a whoever Maryland Citizens for responsible Government is trying to make people beleive I am.
The first steps to living authentically for anyone transgender or not, can be the hardest.

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Posted by: tadalya | October 5, 2008 4:51 PM

Why does Montgomery's governmment feel it is necessary to silence their voters? What is the county afraid of? Why not let the people vote and find out for certain what the majority really wants?

Posted by: Glen | October 6, 2008 12:39 PM

Because in America we don't vote on people's civil rights.

Posted by: Dana | October 6, 2008 3:09 PM

It seems pretty much of a foregone conclusion, that with it's well funded law yers campaign, ADF would not have much trouble overturning this law. People would probably respond to the hate and fear and vote the "Perverts" out. They go unchallenged with statements like "supporters of the homosexual lifestyle". This has nothing to do with homosexuality. It's about civil rights for a group of people who are presently vulnerable to the hatred of the more moronic among us. What exactly do they expect us to do? Change how nature made us? Try telling that to a Black person!
"You can't have a job because you're Black!" Then you can add a pseudo moralistic argument as to why he can't have that job. People have a hard time coming around to seeing that this is a medical problem, not a moral failing. For more info, Google Lynnconway.com
Regards, Terry

Posted by: Terry | October 7, 2008 11:10 AM

So much for a government by the people.

Now it's a government by the elites with some input from the people but only when the elites agree with it.

Silence the peoples' options to be heard non-violently and you leave them with only one other option.

Posted by: Rufus | October 7, 2008 1:37 PM

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