Tag Archives: LGBT rights

“There are real antigay bigots out there, but they are fading in number and strength. The people who matter now are the persuadables who are struggling to believe they can make room for us on equal terms even if they cannot agree with our ‘lifestyle’ — people who wish us no harm but who are struggling to adapt old ideas …

Speaking to the Advocate’s Julie Bolcer, former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw said that networks should continue to give airtime to vicious anti-gay hate groups because that may spark outrage and create a national discussion. “I don’t think you can shut down free speech,” he said. “We’re a free speech society. They’re entitled to their positions however wrong they may be. …

The Czech Republic is being criticized for its bizarre requirement that gay men seeking asylum from persecution in their home countries must first prove their gayness by submitting to a penile tumescence test while viewing straight porn. According to information provided by the Czech Ministry of the Interior, ‘phallometric testing’ for asylum seekers who claim to be gay may be …

Even though it’s acting, this is hard to watch.

Equality California executive director Geoff Kors revealed today that he’ll be leaving the organization this spring. EQCA spearheaded the unsuccessful attempt to defeat Proposition 8 in 2008. Seth Hemmelgarn at Bay Area Reporter: Kors, who has been EQCA’s only executive director since it was created in 1998, announced this morning (Friday, December 3) that he’s resigning from the group, effective …

Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga now says he’s been misquoted and that homosexuals will not be rounded up and arrested. Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Thursday denied that he had ordered a nationwide crackdown on homosexuals but maintained that such unions were illegal. He argued that he was misquoted and that his statements were not meant to victimise anyone because: …

The European Parliament has declared that official documents such as marriage, civil union, birth, and death certificates must be recognized by all members of the European Union. Rex Wockner reports at Pink Paper: “This is a great development for the many couples and families who see their fundamental rights diminished every day when crossing a border inside the EU,” said …

Hungary has adopted a new constitution which stipulates that marriage is for heterosexuals only. Human life will be protected from conception and marriage will be defined as heterosexual co-existence in the new Constitution, according to the specimen The Principles of Regulating the Constitution of Hungary. Hungary would continue to be a republic and a democracy governed by the rule of …

Folks, give it up for our hero of the day, Illinois state Sen. Ricky Hendon! “It’s just fairness, y’all. That’s ALL.”

The bill just passed 32-24! Updates and reactions will be added to this post shortly. Somebody rush a defibrillator to Porno Pete’s house! Or don’t! Lambda Legal “Same-sex couples in Illinois, many together for decades, will finally have the legal protections to take care of each other and their children,” said Jim Bennett, Regional Director of Lambda Legal’s Midwest Regional …

There wasn’t any doubt, but it’s nice to hear her work it into her victory speech.

The Illinois state House has approved its civil unions bill by a vote of 61-52! Openly gay Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), who co-sponsored SB 1716, started his opening statement at 5:17 p.m on Tuesday. “Once in every generation,” he said, “legislatures across the country have a chance to advance the cause of liberty and justice for all. The Illinois Religious …

The Washington Post has leaked the results of the hotly-awaited DADT survey, which is not due to be officially released until later this afternoon. According to a survey sent to 400,000 service members, 69 percent of those responding reported that they had served with someone in their unit who they believed to be gay or lesbian. Of those who did, …

Via a press release from Marry Me Minnesota, we learn of a positive development that took place last week. On November 24th, Minnesota Fourth District Court Judge Mary S. DuFrense denied a motion by the Minnesota Family Council to intervene as defendants against a lawsuit brought by three same same-sex couples and one minor child to strike down Minnesota laws …

The Illinois General Assembly is expected to vote on civil unions today and it looks like the vote may be very close. Kevin Wayne reports at Chicago Pride: As the probable Tuesday vote looms, Equality Illinois and The Civil Rights Agenda (TCRA) continued to lobby legislators in support of the bill late Monday. Both advocacy groups have returned to the …

Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has issued a call for his nation’s homosexuals to be rounded up and jailed. “Any man found engaging in sexual activities with another man should be arrested,” Odinga said at a rally on Sunday, in the Nairobi slum of Kibera. “Even women found engaging in sexual activities will be arrested.” Speaking to his home constituency, …

By a 6-1 vote, yesterday the commissioners of Orange County, Florida banned sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations. Equality Florida reports that red-shirted supporters of the measures filled the commission’s chambers prior to the vote. Congratulations to my home county!

Speaking on Friday at the University of Richmond, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia denounced the concept of a “living Constitution” and said the 14th Amendment was not written with the intent of granting equal protection to ALL Americans. Just the heterosexual ones. “The due process clause has been distorted so it’s no longer a guarantee of process but a guarantee …

Here’s the first (and very satisfying) fallout from yesterday’s new official hate group designations by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Dan Savage appeared on CNN this afternoon to slam them for giving airtime to anti-gay bigots. “There are no ‘two sides’ to the issue of LGBT rights. Right now one side is really using dehumanizing rhetoric. The Southern Poverty Law …