Tag Archives: LGBT rights

Ecuador Gets Gay Friendlier

“Let’s be clear that the profoundly humanistic position of this government is to respect the intrinsic dignity of everyone, of every human being, independently of their creed, race, sexual preference. We will give certain guarantees to stable gay couples but matrimony will continue being reserved for a man, a woman and the family. Every person has dignity, that’s to say, …

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Backfired!

Remember last week when the Polish president used a video of American gay couple getting married as a warning to his nation on the evils of homosexuality? Well, this is a fantastic development: A married gay New York City couple have become the darlings of the Polish media since arriving in the country on the weekend. Brendan Fay and Tom …

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FL Bill Would Ease Gay Adoption Ban

A change may be coming in Florida’s gay adoption law, although wingnut state Sen. Ronda Storms (left) plans to block the bill in committee. A state senator has filed legislation to ease a three-decade old ban on gays adopting children in Florida. Sen. Nan Rich (D) has filed similar bill over the past three years but none has made it …

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Save Madhi Kazemi

There’s a new website in support of Madhi Kazemi, the gay Iranian teen facing deportation back to Iran after the UK ruled denied his asylum request on the grounds that Iran doesn’t persecute homosexuals. We all know the truth about that. Kazemi has the support of world-famous gay activist Peter Tatchell. Kazemi is presently in Holland and is set to …

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New Mexico: Turn Down Gay Business
And We’ll See You In Court

From the National Catholic Register: As a Christian, Elaine Huguenin is against efforts to legitimize same-sex “marriage.”[JMG: Scare quotes!] So, when the Albuquerque photographer was asked via e-mail in September 2006 to photograph a “commitment ceremony” for two women, Huguenin declined. That was the end of the matter, she thought. But Huguenin didn’t take into account New Mexico’s anti-discrimination laws. …

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Spitzer May Resign, Face Criminal Charges

New York Governor Eliot Spitzer is reportedly mulling resignation amid calls for his impeachment. His first order of business, however, will be to address the potential criminal charges. The news was met with disbelief and shock in Albany, a capital accustomed to scandal. Some legislative assistants said they were too stunned to speak, and lawmakers gathered around television sets in …

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NYS Assembly’s O’Donnell Advances
To Key Education Post

Openly gay New York State Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell (D-NYC) has been named to the Standing Committee On Education. O’Donnell was the prime sponsor of the Dignity For All Students Act, the anti-bullying and discrimination in public schools legislation which passed in the Assembly last week. O’Donnell: “I believe this advocacy to be the most important aspect of this appointment.” The …

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Domestic Abuse Protection For NYC Gays

If your significant other is getting abusive, you may soon have redress in New York City. Legislation will be introduced next week in New York City council to make it easier for same-sex partners in abusive relationships to seek help. The measure is sponsored by Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. It would allow anyone who is living, …

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The “Rapist-In-A-Dress Meme” Continues

In Montgomery County, Maryland, the right-wing is using their usual scare tactics to fight the new local ordinance that protects transgenders. From a “prison fellowship” blog, of all places: Mary Ann Andree was drying her hair in the Rio Sport and Health Club in Gaithersburg, Maryland, last month when the door to the women’s locker room suddenly opened. In came …

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CA Supes Hear Gay Marriage Case Today

The California Supreme Court will hear the long-awaited gay marriage case today. Locals can watch live on the California Channel from 9am – 12pm Pacific. For the rest of us, there will be a live webcast. In briefs submitted to the court, same-sex marriage supporters argue that California’s Constitution leaves no room for denying gay men and lesbians the right …

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Money Talks For Puerto Rico’s Gays

Today Puerto Rico’s House of Representatives will vote whether to move forward a ban on gay marriage. U.S. Congressman Jose Serrano (D-NY) notes that such a move may imperil federal funding there. Serrano says that passage of such an amendment would put Puerto Rico among those groups that promote hateful and discriminatory measures which might not be seen in a …

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SF Pride Throws Pink Brick At HRC

San Francisco Pride has nominated the Human Rights Campaign for their annual Pink Brick award, the first time a LGBT organization has received such a dubious distinction. The Pink Brick is meant to recognize groups or persons on the wrong side of the fight for LGBT equality. While no other LGBT groups have been nominated since the award was created …

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Broward County Protects T-Folk

Yay for my hometown some place I lived for a number of years: Broward County Florida voted to pass transgender protections yesterday. It is now illegal to discriminate against transgender people in housing, the workplace, and in public accommodations like hotels and restaurants. The protections voted in by country commissioners are an expansion of Broward’s 1995 human rights ordinance, which …

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Israel Grants Adoption Rights To Gays

On Sunday Israel’s attorney general granted to full adoption rights to that country’s gay couples. Before his ruling, gay couples could only adopt if one partner was the biological parent of the child. “I welcome the decision,” said Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog. “There is no reason why same-sex couples who meet the criteria for adoption should not be able to …

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Arizona Marriage Fight Reignites

In 2006, Arizona became the first state to ever vote down a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. But yesterday, 16 out of 30 of Arizona’s state senators backed a new bill to put the issue back on the ballot yet again. The bill was also introduced in the state house. With both chambers’ approval, the bill will be on …

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UK Gays To Country: Get Over It

Stonewall, the UK gay rights group , will post 600 billboards around the country over the next two weeks with their “Some people are gay, get over it!” message. The ad campaign was originally designed for and rolled out to secondary schools and was created with the help of students and teachers. After the posters were well-received in the schools, …

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California Supreme Court To Hear Gay Marriage Suit On March 4th

The California Supreme Court announced today that they will hear arguments over the state’s ban on gay marriage on March 4th in San Francisco. The three-hour hearing will consider a 2004 lawsuit filed on behalf of Equality California, the Our Family Coalition, and 15 same-sex couples denied marriage under the ballot measure approved by voters in 2000. Oral arguments will …

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DOJ Approves Gay Employee Group

A fascinating change of policy at the Department Of Justice: Five years after a gay advocacy group was told that it could no longer use the e-mail, bulletin boards and meeting rooms at the Justice Department, Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey has reversed that decision and issued a revised equal-employment-opportunity policy barring discrimination against any group. Mukasey informed leaders of …

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Gay Couples Advance In NY, Oregon
Florida Haters Make Ballot

A state appellate court has ruled that all public and private employers in New York must now recognize same-sex couples legally married elsewhere. A New York appellate court ruled Friday that valid out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples must be legally recognized in New York, just as the law recognizes those of heterosexual couples solemnized elsewhere. Lawyers for both sides said …

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Money Talks For LGBT Rights

At a press conference at the NYC LGBT Community Center, today New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. announced that he will use the power of the NYC Pension Funds to pressure two dozen Fortune 1000 companies to offer sexual orientation and gender identity protections to their employees. Thompson oversees the New York City Employees’ Retirement System, New York …

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