May 13, 2019
The Honorable Larry Hogan, Governor of Maryland
100
State Circle
Annapolis,
Maryland 21401-1925
RE: Protecting Transgender Maryland National
Guard Service Members and Recruits
Dear
Governor Hogan:
We
are writing as residents and voters in Maryland who are leaders of PFLAG
Chapters across the state to urge you to allow transgender people to continue
to join and serve in our state’s National Guard. PFLAG, which was founded in
1973 after the simple act of a mother publicly supporting her gay son, is the
nation’s largest family and ally organization, uniting LGBTQ with families
friends, and allies people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and
queer.
Today’s military includes brave transgender people serving our
country openly and proudly, with 134,000 retired veterans having done so with
honor and sacrifice. Until President Trump ordered the Pentagon to reverse its
well-considered decision to embrace patriotic Americans who happened to be
transgender, our armed forces had been progressing toward the goal of finding
and retaining our best service members, regardless of gender identity. This
policy of inclusion has been working well since June 20, 2016. Since that time,
a person’s gender status, including being openly transgender, had not
disqualified transgender people from enlisting in the military. National Guard
members have been trained to effectively follow and be in full compliance with
the inclusion of transgender servicemembers, something that, until President
Trump’s decision, had been allowed and supported by the U.S. Department of
Defense.
The President of the United States has demeaned transgender service members, first through Twitter and now by denying them the ability to serve openly and safely. You can send a very different message in your role as Commander of the Maryland National Guard. Please support Maryland’s National Guard members and recruits by disregarding the dishonorable and offensive action taken by the President by joining the Governors of California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington who have already gone on record to announce that transgender people will continue to be allowed to serve in the National Guard. Your record in Maryland, which includes the signing of legislation barring licensed medical and mental health professionals from “practicing” discredited conversion therapy on minors, has shown that support for LGBTQ people is bi-partisan. We urge you to continue down that path, which unites, rather than divides, America.
PFLAG stands proudly with transgender people, their families, and future transgender individuals who would put their lives at risk for all of us and our country, whether in the military or in the National Guard.
Thank you for your ongoing leadership, and please consider adding standing up for National Guard volunteers who are transgender to your list of accomplishments that deliver fairness to all Marylanders. (Please send your response to Mark Eckstein of the Metro DC Chapter of PFLAG at XXXXXXXXXXXXXX and/or David S. Fishback of the Metro DC Chapter at XXXXXXXXX.
Sincerely,
Mary Moore, President, Anne
Arundel PFLAG Chapter. Annapolis
Yvonne Matthews, President, Bel Air
PFLAG Chapter, Bel Air
Nicole Balbier, President,
Catonsville PFLAG Chapter, Catonsville
Max Crownover, President,
Columbia/Howard County PFLAG Chapter, Columbia
Erika Walker, President, Frederick
PFLAG Chapter, New Market
Louise Ball, President,
Leonardtown PFLAG Chapter, Leonardtown,
L. Claire Hansen, President, Chestertown
PFLAG Chapter, Chestertown
Mark DeLancey, President, Salisbury
PFLAG Chapter, Salisbury
Michele Copper, Executive Director,
Salisbury PFLAG Chapter, Salisbury
Joy Fisher, President,
Westminster PFLAG Chapter, Westminster
Mark Eckstein, Maryland Advocacy
Co-Chair, Metro DC PFLAG Chapter, Rockville
David S. Fishback, Maryland Advocacy
Co-Chair, Metro DC PFLAG Chapter, Olney
John Bartkowiak, Co-Facilitator,
Germantown PFLAG Group, Montgomery Village,
Stephanie Kreps, Co-Facilitator,
Germantown PFLAG Group, Gaithersburg
