Tag Archives: civil rights

The New York Times reports: Kenya’s High Court on Friday upheld laws that criminalize gay sex, declining to join the handful of former British possessions that have recently abolished a prohibition imposed by Britain during the colonial era. The unanimous ruling by a three-judge panel of the court, announced in a courtroom packed with activists who wanted to see the …

Well, THIS is a surprising development. The Associated Press reports: A majority in Brazil’s supreme court has voted to make homophobia and transphobia crimes like racism, a decision coming amid fears the country’s far-right president will roll back LGBT social gains. Six of the Supreme Federal Tribunal’s 11 judges have voted in favor of the measure. The five other judges …

The Dallas News reports: After the so-called “Save Chick-fil-A” bill was sunk in the Texas House last week, a Senate committee on Monday quietly revived the legislation which LGBTQ advocates say perpetuates anti-gay discrimination. The Senate Bill 1978, filed by Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, is the companion bill to Fort Worth GOP Rep. Matt Krause’s House Bill 3172, which was …

The Hill reports: The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved legislation that would prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ people in employment and housing. The Equality Act was approved in a 22-10 party-line vote, setting the bill up for a potential floor vote. “The ability to have a job, to receive medical care or to rent a home should not depend on …

Just in via press release: Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization released a new video from HRC’s Americans for the Equality Act campaign featuring Olympian and figure skater Adam Rippon. As an openly gay athlete, Rippon calls on Congress to advance the Equality Act — bipartisan legislation …

The Hill reports: The Trump administration appears ready to roll back health care protections for transgender people, and advocates are gearing up for a fight. A proposed rule from the Department of Health and Human Services that’s expected in the coming days would make it easier for doctors, hospitals and insurance companies to deny care or coverage to transgender patients, …

CNBC reports: The Supreme Court on Monday took up job discrimination cases that could for the first time resolve at a national level whether lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers can be fired based on their identity. The cases come as federal courts as well as independent agencies within the Trump administration remain divided over whether Title VII of the …

Via press release: The first-ever hearing on the Equality Act set to take place this morning in the House Judiciary Committee. The crucially important, bipartisan legislation will finally provide clear, comprehensive non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people across the country. The Equality Act has unprecedented support and is backed by nearly 70% of Americans, hundreds of members of Congress, more than …

NBC News reports: The NAACP, the country’s oldest African-American civil rights organization, publicly endorsed the Equality Act, a federal LGBTQ anti-discrimination bill. “We support what it does — and we support it now,” Hilary Shelton, the organization’s D.C. bureau director, told NBC News on Friday. “It’s important that it gets through.” Shelton said the group had previously endorsed the bill …

The Advocate reports: Democratic candidates for president will participate in a forum focused specifically on the lives and rights of LGBTQ people this fall. Showing the growing political influence of LGBTQ advocates and voters, the event provides a chance to educate the potential next president of the United States on the issues and challenges still facing queer Americans. It will …

Via press release: Democratic leaders of the House and Senate will hold a press event at 2PM to introduce The Equality Act, which amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in education, employment, housing, credit, federal jury service, public accommodations, and the use of federal funds. The …

From the Public Religion Research Institute: Amid our currently polarized political climate, a new PRRI survey shows that majorities of Americans across virtually all demographic groups and geographical locations support laws protecting LGBT people. Support for nondiscrimination protections enjoys broad support across the political spectrum. Majorities of Democrats (79%), independents (70%), and Republicans (56%) say they favor laws that would …

The Lincoln Journal Star reports: It wasn’t exactly a vote on the bill that would give protections to LGBTQ workers, but it was a vote that ended debate and the bill’s chances of passing this session. The bill (LB627) that would ensure workers couldn’t be fired or discriminated against because of their sexual orientation or gender identity will be put …

Nashville’s ABC affiliate reports: A family-owned bakery declined to sell a wedding cake to a gay couple over the weekend, citing the “spiritual conviction” of the owner. The bakery, Susie’s Sweets, lists its location on its Facebook page as Burns, in Dickson County. The shop’s owner is Susie Dennison. An initial account of the denial was posted on the Hip …

The Wall Street Journal reports: New York City is seeking to put an end to policies that restrict or ban natural hair and hairstyles closely connected to racial, ethnic and cultural identities. The New York City Commission on Human Rights issued new legal guidelines Monday clarifying that it considers such restrictions to be unlawful discrimination that disproportionately affects black people …

Reuters reports: Iowa’s “fetal heartbeat” law, the most restrictive abortion ban in the United States, was declared unconstitutional Tuesday, as it violates the Iowa state constitution, a state judge ruled. Iowa’s Republican-controlled legislature passed the restriction in May 2018, outlawing the procedure after a fetal heartbeat is detected, often at six weeks and before a woman realizes she is pregnant. …

NBC News reports: A federal court on Wednesday ruled against a lesbian couple who brought a lawsuit against a Missouri retirement home that rejected the women’s apartment application because their marriage is not “understood in the Bible.” Bev Nance, 68, and Mary Walsh, 72, married a decade ago in Massachusetts and have been in a committed relationship for roughly 40 …

FINALLY now that Democrats control the state Senate! From the LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York: Today we made history in New York! In an historic vote, both chambers of the New York’s Legislature finally passed GENDA—a measure to protect transgender and gender non-conforming people from discrimination statewide. This turning point is a victory some 17 years in the …

The Associated Press reports: Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday signed a new directive to prohibit LGBT-based discrimination in state services or by state contractors, replacing a narrower order that her Republican predecessor issued days before he left office. Whitmer’s directive, like one signed by Gov. Rick Snyder in late December, says state contracts, grants and loans must include a …

The Washington Post reports: The Trump administration is considering a far-reaching rollback of civil rights law that would dilute federal rules against discrimination in education, housing and other aspects of American life, people familiar with the discussions said. A recent internal Justice Department memo directed senior civil rights officials to examine how decades-old “disparate impact” regulations might be changed or …