In Support of SB116 and HB235

Tonight, my county's delegation to the Maryland General Assembly held a public hearing on statewide issues. I knew I wanted to attend as soon as I read about it on the Equality Maryland facebook page, but a miscommunication between Ash and I meant he got home from work 30 minutes later than I had planned, and I almost didn't make it to the meeting in time.

I had wanted to sign up so I could testify at the hearing, but I knew the sign up was supposed to be around 7 pm. On my way to the hearing, I passed the building where they were holding it and ended up on a dark, windy road at the site of a haunted house Ash and I visited one halloween a few years ago. I finally found the right place, and I parked the car. A few cars over an older gentleman got out of his car, and immediately I knew he was one of the delegates. I didn't recognize him, but something about him screamed I'm a public official. As we got closer to the door another older gentleman waited for him, and I figured he was a delegate too. I was right and the three of us headed into the room where the hearing was being held at 7:29 just one minute before the 7:30 start.

I was a little flustered, and a little disappointed that I wouldn't be able to speak, but I saw a sign in sheet that I assumed was for the delegates and Senators to know who from their districts came and what they came to support so I wrote down my name, email, city, etc and took a seat.

I wore red, like Equality Maryland had asked all of the supporters of the marriage equality and gender identity protection bills to wear, and I scanned the room for other red shirts and sat near them.

I spent the rest of the time listening to my fellow constituents speak about the issues that were important to them. Wind energy, taxes, marriage equality and the DREAM act.

My favorite speaker of the night was an 82 year old man who came with a list of 10 bills. He submitted a long paper with his full views on each of them, but he decided to do an outline for the delegates in person. He ran through his list, and I'll be honest before he spoke, I feared he was going to be against marriage equality. But as soon as he started off he began, "1. I support wind energy. 2. I support allowing adults to choose their own relationships and what they call them." He went on, and I found I agreed with all 10 of his points.

I sat listening to people speak for and against the bills I came to support. At one point someone asked all of the supporters of marriage equality to stand up and a large percentage of the room stood in solidarity.

I tuned out when people started to sound racist, homophobic or ignorant. I was sort of daydreaming at one point when my delegate called the name of the next two speakers. "(Some name I can't remember) and Amanda... Lor..." She was calling my name. I had signed up to speak without knowing.

Immediately my heart began to beat faster than it used to beat when I had to run the 12 minute run in high school. It was pounding, and I thought I was going to throw up. I was about to speak? Totally unprepared. After a woman that was giving a very racist rant about illegal immigration.

What the heck did I want to say?

I moved up closer to seat closer to where I would have to speak so that I wouldn't waste time walking up when it was my turn. I recognized a transgender woman from some of the rallies, lobby days and trainings I've been to recently so I sat with her.

Then, I went up to the podium. The delegate I spoke to about the gender identity bill a few weeks ago recognized me right away and he nodded at me, and once I said, "My name is Amanda Llorens," my favorite delegate's face showed she recognized me too. Then I looked at the two men I walked in with and I could see they recognized me too.

And so, voice shaking, heart pounding, I began. I said something like this.

"I'll be fast because I didn't realize I signed up to speak today. I'm here today to support SB116 and HB235 because I believe in love and equality. I'm part of a multiracial family and in 1967 some brave people spoke out so that my family could have a right to be a family. I'm happily married and we have a 19 month old and not everyone likes that but they don't have to because we have rights and protections under the law. I'm here because I want all Marylanders to have the rights and protections that I have. I also believe that all people have a right to housing and jobs regardless of their gender identity or how they look, and I hope to see rights beyond housing and jobs extended in the future. I want to thank those of you who are supporting these bills and those of you who haven't decided or aren't, I hope you change your hearts and minds. Thank you."

Something like that. I may have been more or less eloquent. I really can't remember. People clapped. Then shaking, I sat down by my friend who reached out and rubbed my arm because she could see I was shaking.

After I spoke, my delegate asked if anyone else accidentally signed up and she told the room that if anyone didn't want to speak they didn't have to. Shortly after that the hearing was over after a few more folks testified.

I chatted with my friend then waited around to tell my delegate Liz Bobo that I wanted her to tell Senator Kasemeyer who hadn't made the hearing that I had come to support the marriage equality bill that he will likely have a chance to vote on tomorrow. She reminded me that he came out in support of the bill, and I reminded her that I was there to make sure he held true to his word.

Then, she thanked me for coming, let me know that she recognized my voice when I began speaking and had put an asterisk by my name at the time to mark that I was one of her people. She told me she thinks it's great I am so politically involved, and then she asked me to send her an email so we can keep in touch. I told her how nervous I was and she told me I was well-spoken and she couldn't tell I was nervous at all. And then she told me that the gentleman with the list of 10 things has been coming to these hearings for the last 40 years. I hope I have that kind of resolve and commitment to things I believe in.