Tag Archives: LGBT rights

Tim Gill Terrifies The Jeebus People

Gay activist Tim Gill has got the Christian right positively shaking in their pews. Gill, the wealthy founder of software giant Quark who was recently named the fifth most influential gay person in America by Out Magazine, was “exposed” by Pat Robertson’s Christian Broadcast Network this week as the “stealth” activist behind many recent advances for the LGBT movement in …

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Moscow Pride Banned For Third Year

For the third straight year, Moscow’s mayor has banned gay pride. The homophobic Mayor of Moscow has banned this years gay pride event. The Mayor, who has referred to gay rights marches as “satanic” has outlawed the march which was due to take place next week. The move comes amidst a growing number of violent threats from members of the …

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Double The Hate, Twice The Hope

Proponents of a proposed anti-gay marriage referendum in California claim to have gathered nearly twice the necessary signatures needed to place the item on the November ballot. The sponsors of a proposed constitutional amendment to outlaw same-sex marriage in California said Monday they have gathered enough signatures to qualify the measure for the November ballot. A coalition of religious groups …

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Advance For Colombian Gays

Gay rights continue to advance across South America, with Colombia’s government the latest to extend benefits to same-sex partners. However, marriage equality there continues to be thwarted by the Catholic Church. Colombia’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the government must extend pension benefits to same-sex partners. The court ruled that same-sex partners must be given the same pension and health …

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Wingnut Lawyers Offer To Defend Students Who Sit Out Day Of Silence

The Liberty Counsel, a right-wing group that provides free legal defense on issues of religious liberty and “family values” has issued a counter-protest advisory in advance of next week’s National Day Of Silence, the annual protest of anti-gay bullying in public schools, and is asking students who feel discriminated against to contact them. Liberty Counsel is encouraging students to mount …

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Counterproductive To Military Readiness

Calling it “counterproductive to military readiness”, yesterday Ronald Reagan’s former Assistant Secretary of Defense Lawrence J. Korb pleaded for an end to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” before a joint meeting of the House Armed Services Air and Land Forces Subcommittee and the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee. “First, repeal the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy,” Korb told the joint hearing. …

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California Supreme Court Rumored To Be Set To Approve Gay Marriage

From the Huffington Post’s Ryan J. Davis: Sources wishing to remain anonymous in the California Court System indicate that the court, which has until June 2, 2008 to issue it’s marriage ruling, is considering issuing it on Friday, May 23, 2008, with the decision being written by Chief Justice Ronald George. The Court is readying itself for a backlash that …

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Foreman Farewell Fotos

Here’s a few more pics from Matt Foreman’s going away party on Saturday, where slideshows projected onto two walls depicted Foreman’s decades of LGBT activism in New York. The photos ranged from his days as a founder of Heritage of Pride, his six years as head of the NYC Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, his six years as Executive Director …

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Gay Groups Plead Mercy For
Lawrence King’s Killer

An alliance of 27 LGBT groups is asking the Ventura County, California district attorney to try the 14-year old murderer of Lawrence King (left) as a juvenile. Here’s a statement from the alliance, which includes Lambda Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, GLSEN, and the Transgender Law Center: “We are saddened and outraged by the murder of junior high …

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Serbia’s Eurovision: Too Dangerous For Gays To Attend?

The president of Serbia has issued “a guarantee for the safety of delegations, press and fans” attending this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade. Concerns have been raised about possible violence from Serbia’s active fascist element, particularly against the many gay men that follow Eurovision so avidly. Last week a local fascist organization vowed in their newspaper to attack gays …

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Governator: I Will Fight Gay Marriage Foes

Well, this is a suh-weet way to end the week! Speaking to the annual Log Cabin Republicans convention in San Diego, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said that if the current initiative to ban gay marriage in California makes it to the November ballot, he will fight against its passage. Gay journalist Rex Wockner quotes Schwarzenegger as saying: “Well, first of all, …

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Maine In Fight Against Rights Rollback

Maine’s wingnuts not only want to pass a ban on gay marriage, they want to roll back all gay rights laws. The Christian Civic League has until January to raise 55,000 signatures to get their referendum placed on the 2009 ballot. Here’s the proposed intiative from Mike Heath (left), Executive Director of the Christian Civic League: Proposed: “Do you want …

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Motown Protects Transgenders

Detroit has become the latest large city to pass transgender protections. The city council voted 7-1 yesterday to amend the existing non-discrimination laws that already protect gays and lesbian, adding gender identity.

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Obama Says Nothing New To Advocate

UPDATE: One paragraph in the interview is bringing wide media attention. In it, Obama says that he won’t make the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” a “litmus test” for his potential Joint Chiefs of Staff appointees. The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund agrees with Obama’s position. Victory Fund spokesperson Denis Dison says, “In terms of any kind of litmus …

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A Familiar Fight In Florida

Florida is going through its own version of the ENDA-T battle. Legislation that would prohibit discrimination against gays and lesbians in employment, housing and public accommodations throughout Florida passed a key Senate committee on Tuesday. With the support of both Democrats and Republicans the Senate Commerce Committee approved the bill by a vote of 7 to 1. “Today’s vote is …

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New York Governor David Paterson’s Video Message To The Task Force

Here’s the video that Gov. Paterson sent to last night’s New York Leadership Awards. I think he’s fantastic.

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Court Rules Websites Cannot Ask Your Sexual Orientation

In a case involving Roommates.com, the U.S. Court Of Appeals has ruled in an 8-3 vote that internet businesses cannot ask the sexual orientation of clients, saying that it was no different than asking someone in person or by phone if they are Jewish or black. “If such screening is prohibited when practiced in person or by telephone, we see …

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Arizona To Grant Health Benefits To Partners Of State Workers

Arizona is set to approve health benefits for the partners of state employees. The domestic partners of state employees, gay or straight, will be eligible for health coverage and other benefits under a plan approved Tuesday by a state oversight panel. The Governor’s Regulatory Review Council, with three members missing or abstaining, voted 4-0 to approve the benefits expansion. It …

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Greece Considers Civil Unions

Greece is considering a law that will allow gay couples to solemnize their relationships in a civil ceremony, causing outrage within the Greek Orthodox Church. Bishop Anthimos of Thessaloniki charged that the new law would erode human dignity and “make them equal to animals.” Gays in Greece are banned from military service and only 16% of the nation says they …

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Ted Kennedy Brings ENDA To Senate

As he promised last year, Sen. Ted Kennedy will introduce the trans-exclusive version of ENDA to the Senate. Despite an uproar that ripped the gay activism community apart, the weakened version of the bill passed in the House last year. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy is jumping into the middle of an uproar within the gay community whose causes he has …

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