In a ceremonial room at the historic State House on International Transgender Day of Visibility, Lee Blinder stepped to a lectern and did something rare: They called out Gov. Wes Moore for failing to back up his words with action.
Over the course of five minutes, Blinder laid out how the Democratic governor has let down transgender Marylanders by not putting money in the budget and not backing needed policy changes.
“We know who you, Governor Moore, can be for us. And I am begging you to do it,” Blinder said.
During a meeting with advocates last week, Blinder said, the governor offered compassion but little else.
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“After we laid bare our hearts together, you said you’re sorry for what has happened to us,” Blinder said. “And while we appreciate those sentiments, those apologies won’t alter the state of emergency that exists for the trans community, including for those of us in Maryland. Precious lives are on the line.”
Blinder is chair of the Maryland Commission on LGBTQIA+ Affairs, a 21-member body charged with advising state officials on issues facing the community. They also serve as executive director of the advocacy group Trans Maryland.
Moments before they spoke, Blinder was among those honored with a citation for their work on behalf of transgender Marylanders.
Moore praised Blinder for their relentless advocacy.
“One of the things I just absolutely adore about Lee and Lee’s leadership, is that if you think about someone who just will never stop fighting, that is the one,” Moore said to murmurs of agreement from a few dozen people in the audience. “And the one thing I would say about Lee is that if you never forget who you’re fighting for, you’ll never stop fighting.”
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After posing for pictures, Moore turned the microphone over to Blinder, likely unaware that the pleasantries would give way to such a firm and direct takedown.
Moore stood to the side as Blinder said the state budget contains not a penny of funding to support the needs of transgender Marylanders. Blinder noted that no legislation to help trans residents is moving in the General Assembly session, such as a bill making it easier to update birth certificates.
Blinder said the governor has asked them to report on the needs of the community.
“We’ve had countless interactions and events, and I’ve been thrilled to have a governor who will meet me, meet us and listen to us so deeply,” Blinder said. “And here is my report: Trans lives are under attack. And despite that terrifying fact, as we discussed on Thursday, there’s still no state dollars that are dedicated to trans-led community organizations and zero dollars dedicated to protecting trans health care.”
Blinder said increasingly, people are moving to Maryland believing it to be a trans-friendly state, “and they cannot be left behind” — a reference to Moore’s slogan of “No One Left Behind.”
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Two years ago, Moore led the state’s first celebration of the International Transgender Day of Visibility, Blinder noted. It was a jubilant event where participants smiled for pictures, waved pink-and-blue trans pride flags and touted the imminent passage of the Trans Health Equity Act, expanding the types of gender-affirming care covered by Medicaid.
Monday’s event was more muted, and tension filled the air, even before Blinder spoke. Audience members did not pick up and wave the trans pride flags placed on their seats.
In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has signed multiple executive orders targeting the rights of transgender Americans and also gutted diversity programs. Many fear the federal government will cut Medicaid funding that many trans patients rely on.
“Two years later, we’re facing one of the most dangerous threats to trans lives across the country, and the trans community is nowhere to be found in Maryland’s budget,” Blinder said. “So now I must beg. I’ll beg in private. I’ll beg in public. I’ll do absolutely whatever it takes to get my community what we need, because these are desperate times.”
Blinder addressed Moore directly, recalling how Maine Gov. Janet Mills stood up to Trump over an issue of transgender student-athletes.
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“As people look to you for leadership, are you going to be like Gov. Janet Mills, who stood up and confronted the president’s anti-trans policy with, ‘I’ll see you in court’?” Blinder asked. “Or will you be like the governor of California — he shall not be named — who marched in Pride, posed for photos with his community, put his name on legislation. And when the going got rough, decided that trans people are collateral damage as he eyes national office?”
Blinder closed their remarks with a commitment to keep fighting for trans Marylanders.
“I will do anything to protect us. Shame is not real. No scrap of my dignity can be held back. That is the legacy I intend to leave my people with here in Maryland,” they said. “What about you?”
The audience rose in a standing ovation for Blinder. Moore turned to them and locked eyes as he applauded the remarks, too.
Moore hugged Blinder at the end of the ceremony, but gave no response to their remarks.
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Later, the governor’s office issued a statement listing the administration’s support for LGBTQIA+ Marylanders, including signing the Trans Health Equity Act, issuing an executive order protecting access to gender-affirming care, awarding grants for hate crime protection and creating a trans military workgroup within the Department of Veterans and Military Families.
“We are proud of our work so far, but our administration knows we have so much more to do — and we will do it together in partnership,” the statement read.
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