Joe.My.God. LGBT News
From the Spokesman-Review:
Washington employees were banned from most government-related travel to Mississippi because of that state’s new law allowing businesses owners to refuse service to gay, lesbian and transgender customers for religious reasons.
Gov. Jay Inslee issued the ban on non-essential travel Tuesday afternoon, saying Washington has strong laws against discrimination that covers sexual orientation and identity, and its citizens traveling to Mississippi for work might be discriminated against.
“It is the law of Washington state and the policy of my administration to demand equality for all persons,” Inslee wrote in a memo to department heads. The ban will remain as long as Mississippi’s law exists “in its current form,” he said.
From the Associated Press:
The state of Vermont is banning for now official travel to Mississippi because of that state’s passage of a law that allows religious groups and some private businesses to refuse service to gay couples. In a Tuesday message to top state officials Vermont Administration Secretary Justin Johnson said the action was a response to Mississippi’s new law.
Earlier Tuesday Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin invited PayPal to bring 400 jobs to Vermont after the company said it was backing out of a move to North Carolina because of a new law in that state that restricts protections for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender people. Last week Shumlin banned all non-essential state travel to North Carolina to protest the law.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo responding immediately to the travel ban request made by openly gay Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell.
Today I signed an executive order banning all non-essential state travel to Mississippi: https://t.co/nGicsQul2m pic.twitter.com/UsvBkvfx2Q
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) April 5, 2016
Openly bisexual Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has declined to order a travel ban:
“These kinds of bans are complicated and have far-reaching impacts,” Melissa Navas, one of Brown’s press secretaries, said by email. “As a steward of state resources, she felt that speaking out was the best way to support equality.”
Brown, who is bisexual, has released statements decrying the laws. After North Carolina’s law was signed by Republican Gov. Pat McCrory, Brown said she was “appalled” at the legislation which “promotes hate and discrimination.”
She released another statement Tuesday. “I say, enough is enough,” Brown said. “We must remember that we are our strongest and accomplish more when we stand together.” She said Oregonians should “stand up to hate.”