The Maryland constitution requires that the state treat all Marylanders equally. Yet, despite the fact that lesbian and gay people make the same kinds of commitments to their partners and children as do heterosexual couples, the state denies them numerous protections that keep families strong during difficult times. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on behalf of nine same-sex couples and a man whose partner recently passed away that charges it is unconstitutional to deny same-sex couples in Maryland the hundreds of family protections afforded to married couples under state law. Equality Maryland, the state s largest gay rights organization, is collaborating with the ACLU in this fight for fairness for all families in Maryland.
On September 14, OSI-Baltimore hosted a panel discussion of the lawsuit. Speakers included:
- Ken Choe, Senior Staff Attorney of the ACLU Lesbian and Gay Rights Project, who gave an overview of the families in the lawsuit and their stories;
- Dan Furmansky, Executive Director, Equality Maryland, who discussed ongoing activities to educate and organize policymakers and the general public;
- Lisa Polyak and Gita Deane, who shared a personal story of what marriage will bring to their family.
Read more
Online Hate Speech
New SEC Complaint Says Meta Misled Shareholders over Myanmar Hate
A whistleblower complaint to the SEC argues that the social media giant Meta misrepresented its role in fueling violence against Myanmar’s Rohingya—highlighting the need for more platform accountability for online hate.
Civic Engagement
Bolstering Women and Youth, Linchpins of Democracy
Philanthropy has historically underfunded women and youth. Open Society’s new $50 million investment in their engagement addresses that imbalance—and builds on recent surges in civic engagement crucial to the future of American democracy.
Art and Activism
Reimagining January 6th
The insurrection at the U.S. Capitol left him in a cold sweat. Creating a comic book seemed like one way to reach people not obsessively following the news and spark activism to help defend a multicultural democracy.