BALTIMORE — Renee Lau, Administrative Assistant and Special Projects Coordinator with Maryland Safe Haven, says things haven't been so good for the transgender community since President Donald Trump took office.
"People are just plain scared. They've just taken away everything that is out. We don't ask for anything special. We just ask to be treated like normal human beings and have the same rights as other human beings," she said.
VIDEO: Baltimore City Council Bill shows support for transgender community
Members of the community, like Reiko Parker, are dealing with daily threats, some of them even getting physical.
"One of them actually directly contacted me, brother and sister, on Facebook and literally said flat out, Why are you allowing this sick person to continue thinking what they think?' And during one of my days doing DoorDash, I got a Bible thrown at me," she told WMAR 2 News.
But Baltimore City Council isn't turning a blind eye to their troubles.
Monday night the council voted to have the Public Health and Environment Committee invite the police, the state health department, and others looking at transgender well-being.
Councilwoman Phylicia Porter spearheaded the bill.
"This is an opportunity for transgender people in Baltimore City to feel seen and to feel heard," Porter said.
The announcement came as a surprise to Ren Culbreath, who says he usually doesn't have the most confidence in government.
"So, I was very happy to hear that this bill was being introduced today, and I had to come down to support," he said.
But Nadie Sajadi told WMAR 2 News there's still more work to be done before the transgender community can feel safe.
"For Maryland and for Baltimore, shelter from the executive orders surrounding gender identity and easier access to hormones," she said.
At the time of publication, there's no word on a set date for the Public Health Committee to convene on this topic.
