Brody's Notes... Maryland Police Chief Says Claims Of Rapes By Transgendered Persons False

Montgomery County MD Police Chief Thomas Manger

By Brody Levesque | TOWSON, MARYLAND -- In a letter to Baltimore County Maryland freshman Democrat councilman Tom Quirk, who introduced a Human Relations bill Tuesday night that would protect transgender people at work and when they use the restroom, Montgomery County Maryland Police Chief Thomas Manger called opponent's claims of rapes or sexual assaults occurring in bathrooms after a similar measure was passed in his jurisdiction in 2007, untrue. In his letter written last week, Chief Manager wrote "Since this law has been in effect, we have had no reported rapes committed in restrooms by men in women’s clothing.”

The leading opponent of the measure, Ruth Jacobs, president of Maryland Citizens for a Responsible Government, said lawmakers should also be concerned about women’s safety.

“Promoted as a 'gender identity anti-discrimination bill,' Human Relations Bill No. 3-12 forces the public to recognize men as women, thereby allowing men access to women's bathrooms, This takes away from a woman being a woman," she said. "These people are confused about their gender." Jacobs added, “The bill is a direct attack on women's privacy."

Mark Patro, president of the Baltimore County’s Parents, Families and Friends of Gays and Lesbians (PFLAG), told The Baltimore Sun, "This bill is about protecting people from discrimination. The bill is not about bathrooms."

Transgender bathroom use in the county suddenly became an issue last spring when a transgender woman, Chrissy Lee Polis, 22, was attacked last April 18, when she got into a confrontation with two female patrons over use of the women’s restroom in a Rosedale, Md., McDonalds as she attempted to enter the woman’s bathroom.

The proposed law appears to have enough support on the seven-member county council to pass. In addition to Quirk, three other council members — Democrats Vicki Almond, Cathy Bevins and Kenneth Oliver — have signed on as sponsors. The council plans to discuss the legislation at a work session in February 18th along with an extended public speakers session.

In addition to Montgomery County's law, neighboring Baltimore City and Howard County have anti-discrimination laws. However, the bathroom provision is a controversial issue. The issue of restroom accommodation sank the Maryland General Assembly’s proposed anti-discrimination law last year.