Tomorrow night, the ACLU of Maine will present the 2011 Roger Baldwin award to the Maines Family, for their courageous and passionate advocacy on behalf of transgender people.  Last Spring, the legislature considered a bill that would have removed Human Rights Act protections for people who are transgender.  Defeating the bill required transgender people to come to the statehouse to explain why the legal protections were necessary, and nobody did a better job of this than Nicole Maines.  I was lucky enough to work closely with her and her father, Wayne, to convince legislators that this bill was unnecessary and unfair, along with colleagues from the Maine Women's Lobby, GLAD, Equality Maine, GLSEN-Southern Maine*, and the Maine Transgender Network.

The Baldwin Award will be presented at the ACLU of Maine's annual membership meeting, which will take place on October 27, 2011, beginning at 6:30 pm, at the Wells Conference Center at the University of Maine, Orono.  Hope you can make it. 

*The initial version of this website did not recognize GLSEN-Southern Maine (and probably many other organizations that spent time and energy to fight discrimination against transgender Mainers at the legislature).  GLSEN leaders testified against the bill and helped show the legislature that schools can and should be supportive, welcoming, and protective environments.  They do great work, and we are lucky to work with them.