Civil Rights

From the National Equality March: Today, the Equality March for Unity and Pride, a grassroots movement to center the most marginalized in the LGBTQ+ communities, released the map and route details for its June 11th march. The starting location will be on I (Eye) Street between 17th and 14th Street NW. Beginning at 10:00am ET, marchers will walk south on …

Reuters reports: Police in Indonesia’s most populous province plan to deploy a taskforce to investigate lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activity, a move likely to fuel concerns of a widening crackdown on the community in the Muslim-majority country. West Java police chief Anton Charliyan disclosed the plan on Tuesday as two gay men in the province of Aceh were …

The Baltimore Sun reports: A Baltimore defense attorney was arrested in the downtown courthouse Tuesday and charged with obstruction of justice and witness intimidation for allegedly telling a rape victim she risked deportation by the Trump administration in an effort to dissuade her from testifying against his client. In a recorded conversation, Christos Vasiliades, 38, and another man charged in …

The Charlotte Observer reports: The NBA and Charlotte have finalized a deal to bring the 2019 All-Star Weekend to the Queen City, the Observer has learned. The three-day event will be held on a Friday through Sunday, Feb. 15-17, climaxing in Sunday night’s All-Star Game. Most events, including the game and various skills competitions, will be held uptown at the …

The Dallas Morning News reports: The Texas Senate will reject the so-called bathroom bill passed in the House late Sunday and request a special committee to work out a compromise on the legislation. Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, who authored the original bill, said he would not agree to the changes and would ask the two chambers appoint a conference committee …

The Associated Press reports: Indonesian police detained dozens of men including several foreigners in a weekend raid on a gay sauna in the capital, another sign of growing hostility to homosexuality in the world’s most populous Muslim nation. Police spokesman Argo Yuwono said 141 men were detained for questioning in the raid Sunday evening on the gym and sauna in …

The Dallas Morning News reports: The Texas House voted late Sunday on a bill that will keep transgender public school children from using the restroom that matches their gender identity. The measure, a Republican deal on the “bathroom bill,” passed the GOP-dominated chamber by a vote of 91-50. It needs one more vote to officially pass the House. If the …

Gallup reports: Americans are about evenly divided on whether new civil rights laws are needed to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Fifty-one percent of U.S. adults say such laws are needed, while 46% say they are not. These data, from Gallup’s annual Values and Beliefs poll conducted May 3-7, come as Democratic members of Congress plan to reintroduce …

The Guardian reports: Canada’s government has said it will formally apologise to the thousands of Canadians who suffered injustices during a decades-long campaign to root out homosexuality from the military and public service, bringing it in line with a longstanding demand by advocates. The apology is expected to take place in early autumn. Public consultations are under way – led …

The Raleigh News & Observer reports: Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday morning he will soon announce an executive order addressing protections for the LGBT community. The Democratic governor made the remark to a sympathetic audience in Washington, D.C., where he said he would also continue to fight against discrimination and push for voting rights and education funding. “My goal is …

BOOM. Via press release from the ACLU: Today’s executive order signing was an elaborate photo-op with no discernible policy outcome. After careful review of the order’s text we have determined that the order does not meaningfully alter the ability of religious institutions or individuals to intervene in the political process. The order portends but does not yet do harm to …

The Texas Tribune reports: The Texas Senate on Wednesday voted 20-11 to accept the House’s version of Senate bill 4, legislation that would ban “sanctuary” jurisdictions in Texas and allow police to inquire about the immigration status of people they lawfully detain. The bill now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott, who declared the legislation an “emergency item” in the early …

Via press release: Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and Equality NC hailed the news that Governor Andrew Cuomo has reaffirmed New York’s ban on taxpayer-funded travel to North Carolina. The announcement comes after North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Senate President Phil Berger, and House Speaker Tim Moore passed a law — HB 142 — doubling down on many of …

NBC News reports: One Mississippi family’s pain and grief after losing a loved one was compounded when the local funeral home suddenly refused to perform their relative’s cremation because he was gay. Robert Huskey passed away in May 2016 after his heart condition worsened over the previous year. Knowing that his death was imminent, Huskey’s nephew had made arrangements with …

Via press release: Today, HRC joined with bipartisan lawmakers and an unprecedented number of businesses to announce the re-introduction of the Equality Act — federal legislation that would finally guarantee explicit, permanent protections for LGBTQ people under our nation’s existing civil rights laws. The bipartisan legislation would provide clear and equal protections under federal law for all Americans in vital …

The Independent reports: Angela Merkel has publicly raised concern over the reported prosecution of gay men in Chechnya with Vladimir Putin, following wide-ranging talks. The German Chancellor raised the alleged capture and torture of more than 100 people at a joint press conference with the Russian President in Sochi. The Kremlin has backed the Chechen government’s denials over the brutal …

Via press release:   Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 2 at 11AM ET, members of the U.S. Congress will gather in the Capitol’s Rayburn Room with advocacy leaders and LGBT Americans who have suffered discrimination to announce the re-introduction of historic legislation to ban discrimination against LGBT individuals in federal law. The Equality Act would outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or …

USA Today reports: A family court judge who sits in Barren and Metcalfe counties has announced he will no longer hear adoption cases involving “homosexual parties” because he believes allowing a gay person to adopt could never be in the child’s best interest. Judge W. Mitchell Nance, who begins court each day by requiring everyone to stand for the Pledge …

The Guyana Chronicle reports: Guyanese will soon have a chance to vote on whether they believe homosexuality should remain a criminal act or if those laws which criminalise it should be struck down via a referendum. The Government made this announcement in a letter to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) following the 161st Ordinary Period of Sessions which …

CNN reports: Caitlyn Jenner may not like everything US President Donald Trump’s administration has done so far — especially when it comes to actions affecting transgender Americans like her. But she does not regret her decision to vote for Donald Trump, she told CNN’s Don Lemon on Tuesday. “As far as LGBT issues, yes, he’s made some mistakes,” she said. …