Tag Archives: civil rights

Olympian Adam Rippon For The Equality Act [VIDEO]

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 …

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Trump Poised To Roll Back Trans Health Protections

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, …

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SCOTUS To Hear LGBT Workplace Discrimination Cases

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 …

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LIVE VIDEO: House Hearing On The LGBTQ Equality Act

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 …

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NAACP Backs Equality Act In Blow To Log Cabin

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 …

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Dem Candidates To Participate In LGBT Rights Forum

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 …

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LIVE VIDEO: Democrats Introduce LGBT Equality Act

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 …

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SURVEY: Majorities In All States And Across All Demo Groups Support LGBT Non-Discrimination Legislation

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 …

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NEBRASKA: Bill To Protect LGBT Workers Fails After GOP Reps Claim “Reverse Discrimination” Against Christians

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 …

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Tennessee Bakery Won’t Sell Cake To Lesbian Couple

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 …

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New York City To Ban Hairstyle Discrimination [VIDEO]

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 …

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IOWA: “Fetal Heartbeat” Abortion Ban Struck Down

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. …

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Court Rules Against Lesbian Couple In Housing Lawsuit Because Their Marriage “Isn’t Understood In The Bible”

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 …

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BREAKING: New York Legislature Approves Transgender Rights, Becomes 15th State To Ban Ex-Gay Torture

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 …

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MICHIGAN: Dem Gov Bans Anti-LGBT Discrimination By State Contractors, Order Has No Religious Loopholes

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 …

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Trump Admin Mulls Broad Rollback Of Civil Rights Law

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 …

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BRAZIL: Far-Right President Targets Minorities On First Day, Removes LGBT Issues From Human Rights Ministry

The Associated Press reports: Newly installed President Jair Bolsonaro targeted Brazil’s indigenous groups, descendants of slaves and the LGBT community with executive orders in the first hours of his administration, moving quickly after a campaign in which the far-right leader said he would radically overhaul many aspects of life in Latin America’s largest nation. In removing LGBT concerns from the …

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NYC Rules Against Cabbie For Booting Gay Passenger

The New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings has upheld a ruling by the Taxi & Limousine Commission against cabbie Martin Morrison for ejecting a gay passenger. The New York Post reports: The male and female complainants said they got into Morrison’s cab at the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 43rd Street in Manhattan just before 1 …

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INDONESIA: City To Impose Fines For “LGBT Behavior”

Reuters reports: An Indonesian city has approved a bylaw to fine gay or transgender people up to 1 million rupiah ($70) for behaviour that could “disturb public order” or be considered immoral, the city’s deputy mayor said on Friday. The regulation is the latest example of a rise in government and public hostility toward the LGBT community in the world’s …

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TODAY: The Transgender Day Of Remembrance

NBC News reports: Cities across the world will glitter with candlelight on Tuesday in honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance. From New York to Sydney, vigils will pay tribute to the many transgender people who have lost their lives to violence. Violence against the trans community has risen steadily in recent years, according to a grim report released Monday by …

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