LGBTQIA members discuss next legislative session

SALISBURY, Md. – FreeState Justice and PFLAG Salisbury are already planning on what they want state legislators to know about problems they feel exist for the LGBTQIA community.

“I’m a parent, I’m an ally and I’m a university professor and so protecting young people and making sure they’re treated with dignity and respect is important,” said Salisbury PFLAG Board Member Nicole Hollywood.

As part of the planning process Tuesday night the two organizations hosted a community discussion so locals could have their voices heard as well. Advocates for the community speaking about things like harassment, discrimination in the workplace, housing, schools, foster care and even health care.

They say these conversations are critical for the future of thousands of Marylanders.

“These meetings are so important because they actually bring to light to open up conversations about the LGBT community and the needs that we need here on the Eastern Shore specifically as a community,” said the PFLAG Salisbury President Mark DeLancey.

“These kinds of conversations help build community and make connections at the local level,” said the FreeState Justice Executive Director Mark Procopio.

People like Mark DeLancey say these sorts of conversations will help the LGBTQIA community shape legislative policies in the future.

“There’s obviously so much that needs to be done,” said DeLancey.

“Just raising awareness alone is going to be the hardest issue to create the basis for actually trying to move people forward in the general direction to create that legislation that we need for the state to be able to follow,” said DeLancey.