LGBT News

KENTUCKY: Compromise Reached On Marriage Licenses

The Kentucky GOP’s plan for a separate marriage license for gay couples has been shot down. Via McClatchyDC: Kentucky would have a single marriage license for straight and gay couples under a compromise plan backed by Republican Gov. Matt Bevin and the Democrat-controlled House Judiciary Committee. The proposed form would allow applicants to identify themselves as bride, groom or spouse …

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HOLLYWOOD: Movie Industry Bigwigs Urge Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal To Veto Anti-LGBT Bill

A coalition of major Hollywood figures have signed a joint letter urging Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal to veto his state’s pending anti-LGBT bill. Among the boldface names are Rob Reiner, Lee Daniels, Anne Hathaway, Julianne Moore, Gus Van Sant, and Harvey Weinstein. Read it below. The letter was coordinated by the Human Rights Campaign, which earlier this week pressured Disney …

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Legal Groups To North Carolina: Get Ready For Lawsuits

Via press release: Today, Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of North Carolina, and Equality North Carolina condemned North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signing into law a sweeping anti-LGBT measure, HB 2, and announced that the organizations are exploring legal challenges to the discriminatory law. “We expect the ACLU’s and Lambda Legal’s Legal Help Desks will light …

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TRAILER: A Road To Home

From the Ali Forney Center: Youth homelessness is one of the most severe disparities faced by the LGBT community. While comprising only about 5% of the overall youth population, LGBT youth make up 40% of the nation’s homeless youth population. The response to this crisis has been meager. While there are an estimated 500,000 homeless youths in the country, 200,000 …

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World’s Largest Psychiatric Association Calls For End To Ex-Gay Torture And Legalization Of Homosexuality

From the National Center for Lesbian Rights: Today, the world’s largest organization of mental health professionals—representing more than 200,000 people in 118 countries—called for an end to the discredited practice of “conversion therapy,” which is linked to serious harms, including depression, substance abuse, and suicide. In a statement issued today, the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) says: “WPA believes strongly in …

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Democratic National Committee Denounces North Carolina As “Stuck In The Stone Age Of LGBT Equality”

Just in from the Democratic National Committee: When the Charlotte city council expanded protections for transgender people with a new ordinance last month, Republicans in the North Carolina state legislature were so disgusted that they announced they would take the unusual step of convening a special session today in order to block it. But for one of the most extreme …

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BREAKING: North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory Signs Bill Legalizing Anti-LGBT Discrimination Statewide

From the Associated Press: Gov. Pat McCrory signed House Bill 2 into law shortly before 10 p.m. Wednesday, overturning Charlotte’s controversial transgender ordinance. McCrory’s office released a statement Wednesday night, saying “the basic expectation of privacy in the most personal of settings, a restroom or locker room, for each gender was violated by government overreach and intrusion by the mayor …

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Franklin Graham: Christians Must Stand Up To The NFL

“Atlanta is a great location for the Super Bowl but the NFL has come out against Georgia’s religious exemptions bill, threatening that it could impact Atlanta’s consideration in the Super Bowl selection process for 2019 and 2020. LGBT forces and corporate super powers are using this threat to try to stop the bill that would protect pastors from performing same-sex …

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BREAKING: Every North Carolina Senate Democrat Walks Out As GOP Senators Legalize Anti-LGBT Discrimination In 31-0 Vote, Bill Goes To Governor

Every North Carolina Senate Democrat just walked out of the chamber rather than vote on the bill which legalizes anti-LGBT discrimination. The remaining GOP Senators then approved the bill 31-0. Having passed the state House earlier by a more than 3-1 margin, the bill now goes to the desk of GOP Gov. Pat McCrory, who will surely sign it. UPDATE: …

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LIVE VIDEO: NC Senate Panel Votes On Anti-LGBT Bill UPDATE: Watch As Full Senate Considers Bill

A committee of the North Carolina Senate has begun hearing the anti-LGBT bill just passed by the state House. Watch below. The full Senate is expected to hear the bill shortly afterwards. The House version overturns all LGBT rights statewide. UPDATE: The bill has passed and the full Senate is now hearing the bill.

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WEST VILLAGE: Gov. Cuomo Recommends Adding Julius’ Bar To National Registry Of Historic Places

Via press release from New York Sen. Brad Hoylman: “LGBT history is American history. An important part of that history is Julius’ Bar, one of the oldest gay bars in the city. By including Julius’ on the state and national historic registries, we’ll help ensure that future generations can be inspired by the events that occurred at Julius’ Bar and …

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NORTH CAROLINA: State House Votes To Legalize Anti-LGBT Discrimination By More Than 3-1 Margin

By a more than 3-1 margin, this afternoon the GOP-dominated North Carolina House voted in a special session to overturn all LGBT rights laws in the state, including the recently passed ordinance in Charlotte. Raleigh’s NBC affiliate reports: A proposal that codifies a statewide nondiscrimination policy in employment and public accommodations and prohibits North Carolina cities or towns from enacting …

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GEORGIA: Disney Vows Boycott Over Anti-LGBT Bill

On Saturday, HRC head Chad Griffin asked Hollywood to boycott Georgia if the state’s anti-LGBT “religious liberty” bill becomes law. Today Griffin got his first result. Via the Hollywood Reporter: Disney and its Marvel Studios film unit will not film future movies in Georgia if a controversial bill that critics contend would legalize anti-gay discrimination is signed by that state’s …

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LIVE AUDIO: North Carolina Legislature Holds Special Session On Repealing Charlotte’s LGBT Rights Law

LISTEN HERE RIGHT NOW. From Charlotte’s ABC affiliate: Republican General Assembly leaders began a one-day special session Wednesday morning after enough lawmakers requested to reconvene now instead of waiting until late April. They’re responding to worries from constituents and conservative activists about provisions related to transgender people and restrooms. The session began with a House committee meeting, which WXII’s Bill O’Neil …

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Christian Mom Posts Anti-Trans Rap Song [VIDEO]

Via Raw Story: An aspiring rap artist weighed in recently on bathrooms for transgender students in Alberta schools. The song, entitled “Gender Bender” is by MH Weibe, who describes herself as a “concerned mom.” In January, Alberta schools adopted legislation requiring bathroom facilities to accommodate transgender people by allowing them to use the bathroom according to the gender they identify …

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NEW YORK: Gay Lawmakers Crack Porn & Fire Island Jokes During Debate On Mixed Martial Arts [VIDEO]

New York is the only state not to have legalized mixed martial arts and yesterday during a debate on the issue, gay Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell compared the sport to “gay porn with a different ending.” From the New York Daily News: O’Donnell, a Manhattan Democrat who is openly gay, argued on the Assembly floor that the sport often boasts “two …

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NORTH CAROLINA: Special Session Bill Would Ban ALL LGBT Rights In State, Not Just In Charlotte

North Carolina’s GOP has decided to go FULL Kentucky, according to an advance copy of tomorrow’s bill. The Associated Press reports: The North Carolina General Assembly is returning for an expected one-day session Wednesday to block implementation of Charlotte’s new “bathroom ordinance” before it takes effect April 1. But the final legislation is expected to do more than eliminate the …

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Highlights From Broadway Backwards 2016 [VIDEO]

Last night I had the pleasure of once again attending Broadway’s greatest and gayest night, the 11th annual Broadway Backwards, a fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the NYC LGBT Center in which show tunes written for women are sung by men and vice versa. Watch this year’s highlight reel below and see a cavalcade of Broadway royalty including …

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ANTARCTICA: Activist Declares Continent LGBT-Friendly

The straight man who turned the house across from Westboro Baptist Church into a giant rainbow flag has struck again! From South Florida’s Broward New Times: Aaron Jackson, a well-known activist who runs a nonprofit organization called Planting Peace, has just declared Antarctica “the first LGBT-friendly continent.” He visited the freezing land the first week of March and unfurled both a …

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State-By-State Hate Update From The ACLU

The ACLU is keeping its eye on the LGBT ball while the rest of the country obsesses on the primaries and terrorism. They write: There are several bills that threaten LGBT equality likely to move this week: North Carolina: The North Carolina legislature will convene in a special session on Wednesday solely to prevent Charlotte’s LGBT non-discrimination ordinance from taking …

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