Civil Rights

NORTH CAROLINA: NCAA Revokes Seven Championship Sporting Events Over State’s Anti-LGBT Hate Laws

BOOM. Via press release: Based on the NCAA’s commitment to fairness and inclusion, the Association will relocate all seven previously awarded championship events from North Carolina during the 2016-17 academic year. The NCAA Board of Governors made this decision because of the cumulative actions taken by the state concerning civil rights protections. In its decision Monday, the Board of Governors …

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ARUBA: Parliament Approves Civil Unions

Some pleasant news to end a day otherwise full of hate. Via the Associated Press: Lawmakers in Aruba have voted to grant same-sex couples the right to register their unions and receive benefits granted to married people on the Dutch Caribbean island. Parliament voted 11-5 with four abstentions late Thursday to amend civil code regulations related to marriage to cover …

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NORTH CAROLINA: Flailing Gov. Pat McCrory Attacks Transgender Students In New Campaign Ad [VIDEO]

Mic.com reports: North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory doubled down on his state’s transgender bathroom law in a new ad for his tough re-election bid, saying the law — which requires transgender students to use the restroom of their sex assigned at birth — protects everyone’s “privacy and safety.” There is no evidence to support the claim that transgender-inclusive restrooms are …

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Lesbian Soccer Star Megan Rapinoe Kneels During National Anthem In Solidarity With Colin Kaepernick

The New York Daily News reports: Soccer star Megan Rapinoe pulled a “Kaepernick” Sunday, kneeling during the National Anthem in an echoing nod to the San Francisco quarterback’s controversial protest. Rapinoe took a knee as “The Star-Spangled Banner” played before her Seattle Reign’s game against the Chicago Red Stars in Chicago in what she called “a little nod” to NFL …

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MICHIGAN: Trump Runs Gauntlet Of Black Protesters Outside Visit To Black Detroit Church [VIDEO]

The Detroit News reports: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump arrived at a black church in Detroit on Saturday greeted by groups of protests from community, religious and labor activists who denounced his visit that is intended to reach out to the African American vote. The Rev. Lawrence Glass said during a protest outside the church that Trump’s heart is not …

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Texas Supreme Court Justice: Deny Benefits To Gay Spouses Because Marriage Is For Making Babies

The opinion of this Roy Moore wannabe was in the minority but Slate warns of what it portends. Mark Joseph Stern writes: On Friday, the Texas Supreme Court refused to review a lower court ruling holding that cities may not deprive married same-sex couples the benefits it provides to opposite-sex couples. The court’s decision leaves in place a pro-equality ruling …

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Giuliani Slams Beyonce’s VMA Performance [VIDEO]

Politico reports: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani reacted angrily Monday to Beyoncé at the MTV Video Music Awards, decrying her performance in which the award-winning singer referenced gun violence “a shame.” The mothers of several victims of police shootings walked the red carpet with Beyoncé before the show Sunday night at Madison Square Garden, as “Fox & Friends” …

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NORTH CAROLINA: Federal Judge Bars State University From Enforcing Anti-Transgender Portion Of Hate Law

Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed: In a limited ruling on Friday afternoon, a federal judge barred the University of North Carolina from enforcing the “bathroom bill” provision of the state’s anti-LGBT HB 2 law against those transgender individuals who sued the state following the passage of the law. In the ruling U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Schroeder noted, “Ultimately, the …

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NORTH CAROLINA: Anti-LGBT Hate Law Drags Gov. Pat McCrory Down To -9 Points In Stunning New Poll

USA Today reports: For the governorship, Republican Gov. Pat McCrory is far behind Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper. The incumbent trails Cooper, 52%-43%. Some of McCrory’s struggle could stem from the HB2 law that he signed. The HB2 law, also known as the “bathroom bill,” among other things requires users of public restrooms to use the bathroom of the gender …

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NORTH CAROLINA: McCrory Defends Anti-LGBT Hate Law With Ad Starring Sexual Abuse Victim [VIDEO]

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory is seven points behind AG Roy Cooper in the latest poll, therefore we get this desperation move. Watch below. Via Raleigh’s NBC affiliate: Gov. Pat McCrory launched a pair of new campaign ads on Monday, one touting his record on education spending and the other slamming his Democratic rival on House Bill 2. The campaign …

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New York Times Editorial Board Slams Ken Paxton’s “Bigoted And Specious” Attacks On Trans Citizens

From the New York Times editorial board: Just days after the federal Department of Education in May issued sensible antidiscrimination guidelines for accommodating transgender students, Texas’ attorney general, Ken Paxton, set out to challenge them. Zeroing in on North Texas, the attorney general’s office encouraged the Harrold Independent School District to adopt an anti-transgender bathroom policy. The choice of district …

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Texas Leads Four Other States In Federal Lawsuit To Exclude Trans People From Obamacare Because Jesus

Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed: Five states, led by Texas, and several nonprofit medical groups, all of which are religiously affiliated, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday challenging the Obama administration’s efforts to guarantee health care coverage to transgender people under the Affordable Care Act. “On pain of significant financial liability, the [Health and Human Services Department’s] Regulation forces doctors to …

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TEXAS: Federal Judge Blocks Implementation Of Obama’s Transgender Guidelines For Public Schools

Bloomberg reports: The Obama administration was barred by a judge from enforcing a directive that U.S. public schools allow transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms according to their gender identity. A federal judge in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sunday sided with Texas and 12 other states that argued the administration’s policy usurps local control and threatens students’ safety …

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NBA Chooses New Orleans For 2017 All-Star Game

The Associated Press reports: The NBA has decided to hold the 2017 All-Star Game in New Orleans, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Friday because the decision hasn’t been announced. An announcement was expected within the day, the person said. New Orleans replaces Charlotte, which was …

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Federal Judge Rules That Hobby Lobby Decision Means Transgender Employees Can Be Fired Because Jesus

Politico reports: A Supreme Court decision allowing some companies to opt out of portions of Obamacare for religious reasons also guarantees the right of firms to engage in religiously motivated discrimination against their employees on the basis of gender, a federal judge in Michigan ruled Thursday. U.S. District Court Judge Sean Cox held that the Supreme Court’s 2014 ruling on …

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NEW YORK STATE: Donald Trump To Accept The Endorsement Of Viciously Anti-Gay Conservative Party

Back in 2009 New York Conservative Party chairman Michael Long stood beaming on the capitol’s steps in Albany as a large crowd of haters and the Red-Caped Catholic Loons waved signs and chanted “No gay marriage!” In 2011 the New York Times characterized Long as “the number one obstacle to gay marriage,” so great was his influence over the state …

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UKRAINE: Odessa Holds First LGBT Pride March Under The Protection Of Hundreds Of Police [VIDEO]

About 50 brave people participated in Odessa, Ukraine’s first-ever LGBT march this weekend in the face of violent far-right protesters. Compelling video below. NBC News reports: The day before the event, local authorities in Odessa banned the event on the grounds there was a high probability of a conflict, as far-right activists were also scheduled to gather at the same …

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NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. McCrory Asks SCOTUS To Reinstate Racist Voter ID Law For November Election

The Raleigh News & Observer reports: Gov. Pat McCrory wants the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate North Carolina’s voter ID law for the November election. The law, which requires voters to bring a photo ID to the polls, was thrown out by a federal appeals court ruling. Late Monday, McCrory announced that he has sent a formal request to Supreme …

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HAWAII: Openly Lesbian State Rep Who Voted Against Same-Sex Marriage Loses Democratic Primary

Back in 2013, Hawaii state Rep. Jo Jordan became the first openly LGBT legislator in history to vote against same-sex marriage, earning her wild praise from hate group leaders Tony Perkins and Brian Brown. Today JMG reader Donovan writes to let us know that Jordan lost her seat to a former Green Party member in Saturday’s Democratic primary. Good.

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MISSISSIPPI: Federal Court Rejects State’s Bid To Enforce Anti-LGBT Hate Law During Appeal Process

BOOM. Another win for Roberta Kaplan. Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed: A federal appeals court on Friday denied Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant’s request that the state be allowed to enforce a recently passed anti-LGBT religious exemption law while the state appeals a trial court’s order halting enforcement of that law. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, in denying the request …

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