Tag Archives: LGBT rights

Perkins: Nestle And Mars Want To “Wipe Out” Freedom

Via email from hate group leader Tony Perkins: In a stunning op-ed for USA Today, branch chiefs for Mars and Nestle announced Wednesday that they’re coming for your kids in any state that’s fighting for girls’ sports or age limits on gender transition. We will “use our influence,” they warn, to crush fair competition, protections for children, and even religious …

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KY Tax Preparer: Homosexual Marriage Not Recognized

The Louisville Courier-Journal reports: On a window outside Aries Tax Service in Radcliff, Kentucky, signs promote how customers can e-file returns for $55 as long as they provide 10 things to Ken Randall, the registered tax return preparer at the Hardin County business. But the last thing Randall lists on his “I Need” placard is something he doesn’t want: “Homosexual …

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Montana Close To Legalizing Anti-LGBT Discrimination

The Associated Press reports: The Montana House has endorsed a bill that would allow people to challenge government regulations that interfere with their religious beliefs. The approval came Wednesday after lawmakers rejected an amendment that would have made it clear the law couldn’t be used to justify discrimination. Under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the government would have to prove …

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Pentagon Reverses Trump With Pro-Trans Regulations

The Associated Press reports: The Pentagon on Wednesday will sweep away Trump-era policies that largely banned transgender people from serving in the military, issuing new rules that offer them wider access to medical care and assistance with gender transition, defense officials told The Associated Press. The new department regulations allow transgender people who meet military standards to enlist and serve …

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In First, Biden Marks Transgender Day Of Visibility

From a just-issued White House proclamation: Today, we honor and celebrate the achievements and resiliency of transgender individuals and communities. Transgender Day of Visibility recognizes the generations of struggle, activism, and courage that have brought our country closer to full equality for transgender and gender non-binary people in the United States and around the world. Their trailblazing work has given …

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Blinken Axes Pompeo’s Anti-LGBTQ Foreign Policy

The Associated Press reports: In a sharp rebuke to Trump-era policies, Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday formally scrapped a blueprint championed by his predecessor to limit U.S. promotion of human rights abroad to causes favored by conservatives like religious freedom and property matters while dismissing reproductive and LGBTQ rights. Blinken said a report prepared for former Secretary of …

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POLL: Majority Of GOP Voters Back Same-Sex Marriage For First Time, Majority Of All Groups Back LGBT Rights

The Hill reports: A majority within all partisan groups, including Republicans, now support same-sex marriage, according to a poll from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) released on Tuesday. In 2019, less than half of those who identify as Republican — 47 percent — backed gay marriage, but the survey indicates that number rose to 51 percent last year. Approval …

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Japanese Court Rules Against Same-Sex Marriage Ban

The Associated Press reports: A Japanese court ruled Wednesday the government’s ban on same-sex marriages is unconstitutional, recognizing the rights of same-sex couples for the first time in the only Group of Seven country that doesn’t acknowledge their legal partnership. Even though the court dismissed the plaintiffs’ demand for government compensation, the precedent is a major victory for same-sex people …

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EU Votes 492-141 To Declare Itself LGBT Freedom Zone

The Associated Press reports: The European Parliament has overwhelming adopted a resolution declaring the entire 27-member European Union a “freedom zone” for LGBT people, an effort to push back on rising homophobia in Poland and elsewhere. The parliament announced late Thursday that there were 492 ballots in favor of the resolution and 141 against in a vote that came after …

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WSJ: Amazon Tells Republican Senators It Won’t Sell Books That “Frame LGBTQ+ Identity As Mental Illness”

The Daily Beast reports: Amazon has decided that it’s not going to lend a helping hand to Republican senators who are desperate to turn the lives of transgender people into a toxic culture war. The e-commerce behemoth has reportedly informed a cabal of GOP senators that it will no longer sell any books that treat transgender or other sexual identities …

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EU To Vote On Declaring Itself “LGBT Freedom Zone”

The Associated Press reports: The European Parliament is scheduled to debate a resolution on Wednesday that would declare the entire 27-member European Union a “freedom zone” for LGBT people. The move comes largely in reaction to developments over the past two years in Poland, where many local communities have adopted largely symbolic resolutions declaring themselves free of what conservative authorities …

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Biden Fires Anti-LGBT General Counsel Of EEOC

Bloomberg Law reports: President Joe Biden was to fire Sharon Gustafson, the Trump-appointed general counsel of the EEOC, at 5 p.m. Friday, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. The Biden administration demanded in a March 2 email that Gustafson, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s top litigator, resign, said two different sources who spoke on condition …

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Michigan Democrats Try Again On LGBT Protections

Michigan Live reports: Michigan lawmakers have reintroduced legislation to expand Michigan’s civil rights law by including protections against discrimination for LGBT people. Sponsored by Rep. Laurie Pohutsky [photo], House Bill 4297 would add sexual orientation and gender identity or expression to the list of protected classes under the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on several factors when …

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VA Lawmakers Pass Ban On Gay/Trans Panic Defense

NBC Washington reports: Virginia lawmakers passed a bill that will ban the use of a person’s perceived or actual sexual orientation or gender identity as a defense in court for the assault or murder of an LGBTQ person. “It’s done: We’re banning the gay/trans panic defense in Virginia,” Del. Danica Roem, D-Manassas, said in a Twitter post. Roem introduced House …

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BREAKING: Equality Act Passes House In 224-206 Vote

Politico Huddle reports: The House is set to vote today on the Equality Act, which amends the 1964 Civil Rights Act to ban discrimination against people based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It also provides sweeping protections for the LGBTQ community against discrimination. Your Huddle host caught up with Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), the House co-sponsor of the bill, …

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PA Lt Gov Replaces Banned Flags With Bigger Flags

The Hill reports: Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a Democratic Senate candidate, has replaced the pro-weed and LGBTQ rights flags hanging from his office balcony with bigger ones after lawmakers moved to ban the display. The legislation passed last month, and Fetterman has since been vocal about his intentions to defy the order until state lawmakers legalize marijuana for recreational …

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5.6% Of US Adults Identify As LGBT, 15.9% Of Gen Z

Gallup reports: Gallup’s latest update on lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender identification finds 5.6% of U.S. adults identifying as LGBT. The current estimate is up from 4.5% in Gallup’s previous update based on 2017 data. Currently, 86.7% of Americans say they are heterosexual or straight, and 7.6% do not answer the question about their sexual orientation. Gallup’s 2012-2017 data had …

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Romney “Not Able To Support” LGBTQ Equality Act

Chris Johnson reports at the Washington Blade: Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) signaled late Tuesday he would oppose the Equality Act, legislation to expand the prohibition on anti-LGBTQ discrimination under federal law, throwing a massive wrench into plans of the bill’s supporters to guide it into law. “Sen. Romney believes that strong religious liberty protections are essential to any legislation on …

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HUD To Move Against LGBTQ Housing Discrimination

The Hill reports: The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced Thursday that it will use the Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender. The federal agency announced in a memorandum that it will invoke the sweeping 1968 housing law to penalize those who refuse to rent, sell or advertise housing to …

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Biden Memo Pledges To Defend LGBTQ Rights Globally

The Associated Press reports: Asserting a broad reset of American foreign policy, President Joe Biden said Thursday that he would halt the withdrawal of U.S. troops stationed in Germany, end support for Saudi Arabia’s military offensive in Yemen and make support for LGBTQ rights a cornerstone of diplomacy. In his first visit to the State Department as president, Biden called …

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