Monday, May 13, 2019

Maryland PFLAG Chapters' Letter to Gov. Larry Hogan Urging Action to Protect Transgender Maryland National Guard Service Members and Recruits

                                                                       
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