Assuring the same rights and protections is not simply a Civic’s class exercise. The impacts of discrimination are real for transgender people: If you are transgender you can be: fired for no other reasons; evicted for no other reasons; denied credit, kicked out of any restaurant, store, auto repair shop, dentist office, doctors office, and far more for no other reason. This kind of “legalized” discrimination is “a violence” against transgender people. This kind of violence happens to lawyers; doctors; company CEOs; software specialists; college professors; pilots; retired soldiers, sailors, marines; airmen; nurses; EMTs; police officers; and others.

There are other types of violence against transgender people, too. There’s physical violence. In DC three transgender women were shot at by an off-duty police officer, even after they complained to another officer about his harassing behavior. Another woman was shot by an unknown person in a different incident. Sadly in another incident a transwoman was shot and killed. Violence happens far too frequently and in places one would never expect. Chrissy Polis was simply walking from a bathroom when she was assaulted. Other transgender people have been attacked in emergency rooms – by hospital staff no less.

There is also spiritual violence – perpetrated by some religious groups and churches that attack who transgender people are rather than recognizing they are just as wonderful as the rest of their congregations. They wrap their bigotry and hatred in the word of God. More and more churches and organizations are not only open but also affirming of transgender people. I applaud groups like Catholics for Equality for publicly supporting and end to the bigotry and stupidity.

As I said before, ending the violence and discrimination is not a simple civics class exercise with no real consequences. The reality that some transgender people face everyday should be shocking and appalling to anyone. And you can help end it by putting pressure on your elected officials to assure the rights and protections that should already be in place.

My Catholic schooling taught me unity of the Spirit. We are all one under Christ.

But what is to be done about this? Where is the work being had? Where is the leadership?

If we go back to earlier this year, there was bipartisan objection to HB-235. The Democratic objection came from Maryland’s Catholic Democrats. What do you think will make them change their minds next year? Let’s see if the Chrissy Polis beating has some impact.

Now we have one county in Maryland considering a trans bill with a twist. They are removing “private and personal spaces” from the definition of public accommodations for not just trans, but for everyone.

What just happened in Massachusetts earlier this week has just set trans rights back and sends a dangerous message to states, including Maryland that it is OK to remove public accommodations from a trans rights bill.

Again and again, I urge organizations like GRMD and Equality Maryland that where it comes to gender variance, there are actually two subgroups. One for which this is a medical issue and are currently going through prescribed medication with a full commitment to transition and continue their lives in their new identity and the other group for which this is more of a social issue, there is no medical diagnosis and no commitment to transition to the other half of the gender binary.

Once the GLBT/T community recognizes that there are “two-T’s” and educates the public that way, there may be a better understanding of the specific medical needs of those who need access to segregated public accommodations and how those who are going through this process are not a “danger” to society due to the medications that are being taken.

I am one of the few people in this movement who is actually trans who understands this difference and feels that trans issues should be legislatively handled as two groups. Gender identity and gender expression should be two definitions, not one and gender identity should require a third party verification of a medical condition as evidenced by a state driver’s license or US passport card.

Sorry folks, “one size fits all” does not apply here.