The Hearing
Yesterday, my mom came over to babysit Noah so I could attend the Senate Hearing on the Marriage Equality Bill. I haven't been away from Noah many times in the last 18 months, so I wasn't sure what to expect. When either Ash or I try to leave the house Noah normally cries. Yesterday, I got ready in my conservative MILF outfit to attend the Senate Hearing and I was talking to my mom and Noah from outside of our baby gate. Noah came up to the gate, and I thought he was going to reach up for me pick him up like he normally does, but he came up and pushed my hand off of the gate then turned around and walked away to go cuddle with my mom and a book on the couch. He pushed me out of the house so I could go to the hearing without feeling even a little guilty.
Noah and my mom
Once I got to Annapolis, I headed straight to the parking garage that I know a few blocks from the Senate building. A woman in a minivan with VIRGINIA license plates asked a man in front of me for directions to the nearest parking garage. For some reason, I pegged the man as an anti-equality person. He didn't want to give the woman help so he told her she could find it anywhere so I stopped and gave him directions both by pointing, giving landmarks and giving her the actual directions (turn right on west street...)
When I got to the Senate building I was greeted by the Equality Maryland folks and they gave me a green sticker for my name tag. I asked what the sticker meant and they said, "It means you have a good story and can speak if necessary." I headed into the building and up the stairs to where the hearing was going to take place.
When I walked into the hallway where everyone had to wait for the doors to the hearing room to open, I noticed a group of people trying to figure out which side of the issue I fell on. I could tell my conservative MILF outfit which I wore to make me seem like a regular mom had done too good of a job of making me look conservative. I have a super power due to a hearing problem as a child. I can read lips. It's amazing, and so I saw one of the women say, "I wonder if she's one of them." I realized that our group was asked to wear red, and while I was wearing a red sweater, it was covered with my designer coat that I got for ridiculously cheap off season one year. The coat is black and apparently makes me look very conservative. So I quickly ripped open my jacket and watched the group of women smile and say to each other, "Oh, she's with us!"
Me outside of the Senate building
A few minutes later, a young man who works for Equality Maryland came up and asked me if I had called my Senator.
"Today? I haven't called today."
He asked if I knew my district, I told him my district, the name of my Senator and the name of my delegate and some neighboring delegates.
He seemed shocked that I knew so much information but asked if I would call my Senator and ask him to support SB 116 the marriage equality bill in Maryland. I headed out to the hallway and called the number.
A member of his staff answered, and I began, "Hi, my name is Amanda..."
"Hi Amanda, we met last week, I have your email printed out in front of me on my desk. The Senator knows that you support SB 116. Did you get our email thanking you for stopping by last week."
I hadn't even really muttered Amanda by the time she was greeting me and acknowledging she knew me by voice. I laughed and headed back in to wait for the hearing to start.
A few minutes later someone on the staff asked me if I could make sure an older gentleman could get in safely to the hearing room and to make sure he got a good seat.
Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Hearing Room
My new friend and me
I found out my sticker meant that I could speak to the opposition without causing a fist fight and that I seemed like I could be a helpful individual.
I walked the man into the room and we became quick friends. His name was Jim, and he works as an Equality Maryland liaison for his church. We talked about some I love who is transgender and we talked about his grandson who is also transgender. We talked to the people around us, and I noticed that a majority of the room was filled with people in red shirts. People who were on the side of equality and the right side of history.
With my new friends waiting to watch history unfold
There were only a few of the anti people that got seats in the hearing room because the anti folks didn't get there as early as we did. Because a lot of them weren't from Maryland. I noticed that the woman with the Virginia license plates sat with the anti folks. I probably shouldn't have been so helpful to her.
The time flew by and before I knew it the folks who were testifying began to come in the hearing room. I gave my seat to one of the people testifying on behalf of passing the bill and I headed downstairs to the overflow room. The overflow room was filled with a lot of the anti folks.
There are so many things I want to say about the hearing yesterday. I didn't stay for the entire hearing because I had to get home to Noah, but I am so happy I went. I'm happy I sat next to a woman that was going to be a nun but decided not to and is now a huge supporter of LGBT rights. I'm happy I sat next to people that didn't understand why I someone who identifies as a heterosexual woman who is married with a child would be there on the side of equality for everyone. The same people that after we talked for a while, I saw clap when folks on my side made some good points about the economics of marriage equality and how it will help our state.
I'm grateful that although I didn't get to speak, I sat there and listened to eloquent speakers say things that I would have said if I had a chance to testify.
My heart is so full of love and hope after yesterday's hearing. I cannot wait for my legislature to pass marriage equality and if it is added as a ballot measure in 2012 (which it is easy to do in Maryland so it likely will be) I am happy that I will get to uphold those rights alongside my other liberal, open-minded fellow Marylanders.
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