Tag Archives: LGBT rights

AUSTRALIA: Marriage Plebiscite May Backfire On Right Wing As Millennials Swarm To Vote For Their First Time

The Sydney Morning Herald reports: A last-minute surge has seen a record number of Australians enrolled to vote ahead of the upcoming postal survey on same-sex marriage. The Australian Electoral Commission on Friday released figures it described as “extraordinary” that show 90,000 new voters – mostly the young – had joined the roll since the survey was announced on August …

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INDIA: Supreme Court Ruling On Privacy Opens Door To Overturn 2013 Ruling Recriminalizing Homosexuality

The Hindustan Times reports: The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday Indians have a constitutional right to privacy, a verdict that could have wide-reaching implications on broader civil rights issues, including homosexuality and prohibition. Experts have said the ‘right to privacy’ case would be a test of our democracy, with the possibility of citizens challenging laws based of individual rights. Privacy …

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White House Sets Rules For Transgender Military Ban

The Wall Street Journal reports: The White House is expected to send guidance to the Pentagon in coming days on how to implement a new administration ban on transgender people in the military, issuing a policy that will allow Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to consider a service member’s ability to deploy in deciding whether to kick them out of the …

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Hate Group Sues SPLC Over Hate Group Label

From a press release published by Christian Newswire: Dr. Frank Wright, President & Chief Executive Officer at D. James Kennedy Ministries (DJKM), announced that DJKM filed suit today in the United States District Court against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). The lawsuit alleges, among other things, that the SPLC illegally trafficked in false and misleading descriptions of the services …

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AUSTRALIA: “Stop The Fags” Hate Posters Appear In Advance Of Postal Plebiscite On Same-Sex Marriage

The Guardian reports: Materials labeling homosexuality a “curse of death” and claiming 92% of children of gay parents suffer abuse have surfaced in two separate incidents of homophobic campaigns against same-sex marriage. Advocates have condemned the material, which included a poster urging Australians to “stop the fags” in Melbourne and a leaflet printed in English and Mandarin found in Hurstville, …

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AUSTRALIA: Olympic Gold Medalist Ian Thorpe And Partner Issue Video Promoting Marriage Plebiscite

Australia’s News Corp outlet reports: Ian Thorpe and his partner Ryan Channing have released a new video urging Australians to vote in next month’s postal plebiscite on whether to legalise gay marriage. The Olympic swimming champ is making a last-ditch effort to get Australians to update their electoral roll details before the list is finalised this Thursday ahead of the …

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NORTHERN IRELAND: Court Upholds Marriage Ban

The Belfast Telegraph reports: A high court judge in Belfast has ruled the ban on same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland is lawful. Mr Justice O’Hara ruled on two separate cases that were heard together due to the similarities of the arguments. Both cases were rejected by the Judge, insisting the ban did not violate the rights of LGBT couples in …

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TEXAS: Anti-Trans “Bathroom Bill” Is Formally Dead

NBC News reports: A Texas “bathroom bill” targeting transgender people died again late Tuesday along with many of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s summer demands as an already bruising legislative session was derailed by Republican backbiting that could preview an even nastier 2018 primary season. It is the second time that North Carolina-style bathroom restrictions have failed to pass in Texas, …

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Your Weekly LGBT Debrief With Matt Baume [VIDEO]

Clip recap: I’m in Reykjavik to cover Iceland Pride! I have updates on Rentboy.com, on a group of heroes fighting back against Trump’s military ban, and on basic rights being put to a vote in the worst possible way. Let’s dive in on a hinsegin dagar edition of Weekly Debrief.

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TEXAS: Anti-Trans “Bathroom Bill” Is All But Dead

The Texas Tribune reports: Despite it serving, in part, as the reason lawmakers are back in Austin for legislative overtime, the Texas Legislature could very well gavel out next week without passing a “bathroom bill.” And it’s unlikely that will change in the coming days. “I’d say the chances are definitely getting smaller,” Republican state Rep. Ron Simmons of Carrollton, …

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AUSTRALIA: Rules On Deceptive Materials Won’t Apply To Marriage Plebiscite, LGBT Activists Sue To Stop It

The Sydney Morning Herald reports: Lobbyists on both sides of the marriage equality debate will be free to distribute misleading and deceptive material ahead of the same-sex marriage postal vote, because the usual campaign rules have been discarded. In order to circumvent the Senate, the Turnbull government’s optional marriage survey will be conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, meaning …

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TEXAS: Dallas NHL Franchise Becomes State’s First Pro Team To Publicly Oppose Anti-Trans “Bathroom Bill”

The Dallas News reports: The Dallas Stars have become the first professional sports franchise to publicly oppose the Texas “bathroom bill.” “The Dallas Stars stands strongly opposed to any legislation perceived as discriminatory, including proposed bathroom legislation,” President Jim Lites said Wednesday. “Dallas welcomes all, and we welcome all.” Lites also referred to the NHL draft, which is scheduled to …

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Trump Sued Over Proposed Ban On Transgender Troops

Chris Johnson reports on the Washington Blade: President Trump’s recently announced plan to bar transgender people from the armed forces isn’t yet policy, but LGBT legal groups have already initiated a lawsuit seeking to enjoin enforcement of the ban. The 15-page complaint was filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by National Center for Lesbian …

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AUSTRALIA: Nonbinding Postal Plebiscite On Marriage To Happen, Former PM Tony Abbott Urges “NO” Vote

UPI reports: Australian citizens will be asked where they stand on potential legalization of same-sex marriage in a non-binding mail-in vote, after lawmakers failed to pass legislation Wednesday to make it a national plebiscite vote issue in November. Canberra’s governing Liberal-National Coalition failed to pass a bill in Parliament that would have secured funding to restore Australia’s compulsory plebiscite on …

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AUSTRALIA: Government To Press For Postal Plebiscite On Marriage After Bid For Conscience Vote Fails

ABC News reports: Federal Liberal MPs have overwhelmingly decided to keep their current policy on same-sex marriage. Only seven Liberals voted to change the policy after a two-hour meeting ended with a show of hands. The seven MPs who voted to change the policy were: Warren Entsch and Trevor Evans (Qld), Tim Wilson and Jason Wood (Vic), John Alexander and …

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AUSTRALIA: Liberal MPs Ready Marriage Equality Bill

Australia’s public broadcaster reports: A private members’ bill, supported by Dean Smith [photo], Trent Zimmerman, Warren Entsch, Trevor Evans and Tim Wilson, has been circulated ahead of a special party room meeting on the issue in Canberra on Monday afternoon. The legislation would allow two people to marry regardless of their sex or gender. It also would protect all religious …

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POLL: 89% Support LGB Employment Protections, Majority Of Military Households Back Trans Soldiers

Via Qunnipiac Polling: American voters say 68 – 27 percent, including 55 – 39 percent among voters in military households, that transgender people should be allowed to serve in the military, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today. Republicans opposed transgender service 60 – 32 percent, but every other party, gender, education, age or racial group supports transgender …

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HAITI: Senate Passes Bill Banning Same-Sex Marriage And Criminalizing “Public Support” For Homosexuality

Agence France-Presse reports: A vote by the Haitian Senate to ban gay marriage as well as “public demonstration of support” for homosexuality reflects the will of the people, the chamber’s president has said. The Senate approved a bill late Tuesday that said “the parties, co-parties and accomplices” of a homosexual marriage can be punished by three years in prison and …

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56 Retired Generals And Admirals Warn Trump That His Transgender Ban Would Degrade Military Readiness

Via press release: Fifty-six retired General and Flag Officers provided the following statement to the Palm Center today: “The Commander in Chief has tweeted a total ban of honorably serving transgender troops. This proposed ban, if implemented, would cause significant disruptions, deprive the military of mission-critical talent, and compromise the integrity of transgender troops who would be forced to live …

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AUSTRALIA: New Hope For Marriage Equality Bill

Australia’s News Corp outlet reports: Malcolm Turnbull today cleared the way for a Liberal bill legalising same-sex marriage by endorsing the right of back benchers to offer their own legislation. The Prime Minister moved from a strict insistence that Coalition policy was to hold a plebiscite on the Marriage Act change before any legislation entered Parliament. An increasing number of …

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