Tag Archives: civil rights

VIRGINIA: Non-Discrimination Bill Clears Final Hurdle

The Washington Blade reports: A bill that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to Virginia’s nondiscrimination law cleared its final legislative hurdle on Wednesday. Senate Bill 868, which state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) introduced, passed in the Virginia House of Delegates. State Del. Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax County) introduced a version of the Virginia Values Act in his chamber. Virginia …

Read More »

AP POLL: 73% Support Equal Rights Amendment

The Associated Press reports: A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that roughly 3 in 4 Americans support the gender equality amendment, which is now back before Congress following Virginia’s ratification of the measure in January. But nearly the same amount, 72%, incorrectly believe the Constitution now guarantees men and women equal rights under …

Read More »

House Votes To Remove ERA Ratification Deadline

The Associated Press reports: In a bid to revive the Equal Rights Amendment, the House on Thursday approved a measure removing a 1982 deadline for state ratification and reopening the process to amend the Constitution to prohibit discrimination based on sex. “There is no expiration date on equality,″ said Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier of California, the resolution’s sponsor. Nearly 50 …

Read More »

Swiss Public Votes To Outlaw Anti-LGBT Discrimination

The BBC reports: Voters in Switzerland have backed a proposal to make discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and sexual identity illegal. The result of 63.1% in favour to 36.9% against is a huge boost for Switzerland’s LGBT community. It had argued Swiss law on the issue lagged far behind other countries in Europe. Opponents of the new law …

Read More »

Virginia Lawmakers Move To Repeal “Fornication” Ban

NBC News reports: Lawmakers are closing a legal loophole that could charge unmarried people with a crime for having consensual sex. The House of Delegates passed a bill this week that aims to repeal the crime of fornication, which makes it illegal for people to have consensual sex outside of marriage. Del. Mark Levine [photo], D-Alexandria, introduced House Bill 245 …

Read More »

VA House Approves LGBTQ Protections, Gov Will Sign

Michael Lavers reports at the Washington Blade: A bill that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to Virginia’s nondiscrimination law passed in the Virginia House of Delegates on Thursday. State Del. Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax County), the openly gay man who introduced the Virginia Values Act in the House, before the vote insisted the bill does not “interfere with anybody’s …

Read More »

California Governor Posthumously Pardons Civil Rights Leader Bayard Rustin For 1953 Gay Sex Conviction

NBC News reports: California’s governor announced Wednesday that he is posthumously pardoning a gay civil rights leader while creating a new pardon process for others convicted under outdated laws punishing homosexual activity. Bayard Rustin was a confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a key organizer of the March on Washington in 1963. He also helped plan other nonviolent …

Read More »

MICHIGAN: LGBT Rights Initiative Approved For Ballot

Michigan Live reports: Supporters of a ballot initiative to protect LGBT Michigan residents from discrimination say they’ll begin collecting signatures as soon as this weekend following initial approval from a state board. Michigan’s Board of State Canvassers voted to approve summary language and form of an initiative backed by Fair and Equal Michigan Tuesday, a procedural step that clears the …

Read More »

VIRGINIA: Lawmakers Finalize Ratification Of ERA

The Washington Post reports: Virginia officially became the critical 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment on Monday, clearing the way for likely court fights over whether the measure can be added to the U.S. Constitution. State lawmakers made history earlier this month when each chamber of the General Assembly separately approved ratification resolutions. On Monday, the House and …

Read More »

Empowered VA Senate Passes Host Of LGBT Rights Bills

The Washington Post reports: The Virginia Senate on Tuesday passed a host of LGBT rights bills as Democrats continued to flex their new power in the Capitol. The Senate voted to ban conversion therapy on children, repeal the state’s now-defunct ban on same-sex marriage and establish statewide policies for the treatment of transgender students. The chamber also voted to replace …

Read More »

Virginia Lawmakers Approve Equal Rights Amendment

Reuters reports: Virginia moved to the brink of becoming the crucial 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment on Wednesday, a momentous victory for many women’s rights advocates even though it is far from certain the measure will ever be added to the U.S. Constitution. The affirmative votes in both chambers of the Virginia legislature came decades after Congress …

Read More »

Michigan Sees Push To Place LGBT Protections On Ballot

Michigan Bridge reports: A coalition of civil rights, business and political leaders is launching a petition drive initiative to expand Michigan law by including anti-discrimination protections for gay and transgender residents. Organizers who announced the effort Tuesday hope to spur action by the Republican-led Legislature, whose leaders have cited religious freedom concerns in resisting similar legislation, or put the issue …

Read More »

UN Official: Past Decade Saw Human Rights Backlash

The Associated Press reports: The past decade has seen a backlash against human rights on every front, especially the rights of women and the LGBT communities, according to a top U.N. human rights official. Andrew Gilmour, the outgoing assistant secretary-general for human rights, said the regression of the past 10 years hasn’t equaled the advances that began in the late …

Read More »

Travel Site: Nigeria Is Most Dangerous For LGBTs

USA Today reports: Travel safety blog Asher & Lyric has ranked the worst countries for LGBTQ travelers in 2019. The site looked at the 150 countries across the world that had the most international tourists and created an index based on factors such as legality of same-sex relationships and morality laws. See the full report.

Read More »

Morocco Jails Popular YouTuber For Insulting King

The BBC reports: A well known Moroccan YouTuber has been jailed for four years after being found guilty of insulting the country’s king. Mohamed Sekkaki [photo] was arrested earlier this month after criticising King Mohammed’s speeches and for calling Moroccans donkeys. He plans to appeal against the verdict. Rights groups are worried that personal freedoms are under increasing threat in …

Read More »

Turkey Imprisons More Journalists Critical Of Govt

The Associated Press reports: A Turkish court on Friday convicted six journalists and one other employee of an independent newspaper of aiding the network of a U.S.-based cleric who is accused of masterminding the failed coup in 2016, the state-run news agency reported. The seven were accused of supporting the coup through their work for the newspaper Sozcu, which has …

Read More »

Only One Republican Backed The Voting Rights Act

Common Dreams reports: Just one Republican — Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania — joined a united House Democratic caucus on Friday to pass what rights groups hailed as “historic” legislation to restore and expand voter protections that were gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013. Lisa Gilbert, vice president of legislative affairs for Public Citizen, said passage of the Voting …

Read More »

GOP Rep Floats “Compromise” Version Of Equality Act

The Associated Press reports: As Democrats champion anti-discrimination protections for the LGBTQ community and Republicans counter with worries about safeguarding religious freedom, one congressional Republican is offering a proposal on Friday that aims to achieve both goals. The bill that Utah GOP Rep. Chris Stewart plans to unveil would shield LGBTQ individuals from discrimination in employment, housing, education, and other …

Read More »

ALABAMA: Montgomery Unveils Rosa Parks Statue

The Montgomery News reports: A new statue of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks was unveiled in downtown Montgomery on Sunday afternoon. “This depiction will inspire future generations to make the pilgrimage to our city, to push toward the path of righteousness, strength, courage and equality,” said Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, who took office as the first African-American mayor of the …

Read More »

LIST: 31 Ways Trump Admin Rolled Back LGBT Rights

From the opening of an exhaustive list by ProPublica: When he campaigned for president, Donald Trump posed with the rainbow flag and became the first GOP nominee to mention LGBTQ citizens in his convention speech. In his first month as president, he signed an executive order stating he was “determined to protect the rights of all Americans, including the LGBTQ …

Read More »