Tag Archives: LGBT rights

The Charlotte Observer reports: Despite pressure from business leaders, Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts said Monday the city won’t repeal the ordinance that led to House Bill 2 this week – and maybe not at all. And in a memo to the City Council, the city attorney said the General Assembly doesn’t need the city to rescind its ordinance in order …

From the editorial page editor of the Charlotte Observer: With Hurricane HB2 blowing North Carolina’s doors off, Gov. Pat McCrory took questions in Charlotte last week – from himself. McCrory’s staff planted questions at a lunch event in SouthPark on Thursday with the crowd under the impression that they were coming from the media or the audience. The moderator, a …

Via press release: The North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association remains committed to a resolution of this very complex situation. Our position is not for one side or the other. The hospitality community is an open and welcoming industry, but we find ourselves caught in the middle of a situation that we did not ask for, and our team members …

Via press release: The unintended consequences of Charlotte City Ordinance #7056 and House Bill 2 have taken a considerable toll on our state as a whole. The hospitality industry has become collateral damage in a fight it did not start or ask for. Restaurant and lodging businesses and their employees are suffering the adverse impact of these policies though lost …

He’s panicking. Via the Charlotte Observer: Gov. Pat McCrory could call lawmakers into session as soon as next week to repeal House Bill 2 – but only if the Charlotte City Council first drops the ordinance that prompted it, his office confirmed Friday. The North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association has been working to broker a compromise to stop the …

Here’s some rare evangelical infighting about gay parenting. First, a report from Circa: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s child care plan will cover same-sex married couples and foster parents, and neither evangelicals nor gay rights activists are particularly happy. The revelation was included in a Trump campaign fact sheet accompanying the plan, and it includes only one caveat: “The benefits …

Reuters reports: A gay Chinese student activist has lodged a suit against the Ministry of Education over school textbooks describing homosexuality as a mental disorder, the latest step by China’s small but growing gay rights movement. It is not illegal to be gay in China and these days many large Chinese cities have thriving gay scenes, though there is still …

Via press release from hate group leader Brian Brown: Dear Marriage Supporter, As we told you last week, our friends at Frente Nacional por la Familia (National Front for the Family) are leading a nationwide protest of citizens in Mexico to oppose the attempt of the ruling government party led by President Enrique Peña Nieto, to impose widespread legal recognition …

NCAA 2, Electric Boogaloo! Via press release: Statement from the ACC Council of Presidents: “As members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the ACC Council of Presidents reaffirmed our collective commitment to uphold the values of equality, diversity, inclusion and non-discrimination. Every one of our 15 universities is strongly committed to these values and therefore, we will continue to host ACC …

The Guardian reports: The government will propose new protections for “conscientious objectors” to same-sex marriage which marriage equality advocates fear could allow civil celebrants, registrars and even bakers and florists to refuse to serve same-sex weddings. According to briefing notes on the plebiscite prepared for the Coalition party room, seen by Guardian Australia, the legislation would allow “conscientious objectors” to …

Above is just one article on the front page of the sports section in today’s Greensboro News & Record. See the full thing below. Here’s what two college athletes are saying in an op-ed for the Raleigh News & Observer: In reaction to HB2, the NCAA’s Board of Governors will relocate all seven collegiate championship events from North Carolina in …

BOOM. Via press release: Based on the NCAA’s commitment to fairness and inclusion, the Association will relocate all seven previously awarded championship events from North Carolina during the 2016-17 academic year. The NCAA Board of Governors made this decision because of the cumulative actions taken by the state concerning civil rights protections. In its decision Monday, the Board of Governors …

Buzzfeed reports: Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie was faced with a question close to home on ABC’s Q&A on Monday, when her gay brother asked if the government’s proposed plebiscite on marriage would affect his emotional wellbeing. “Given the majority of parliamentarians and Australians now support marriage equality, is a $160 million plebiscite necessary, and what impact do you think the …

News Corp Australia reports: Federal Labor has introduced to parliament legislation that aims to legalise same-sex marriage in an attempt to gazump the government’s planned national vote on the issue. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten introduced a private bill on Monday, saying it was a chance for the parliament to prove its worth and fulfil its purpose. “Today we can bring …

Andy Towle reports at Towleroad: Across Mexico over the weekend, thousands of “pro-family” groups protested against same-sex marriage as the country moves toward marriage equality. In one particular march in Celaya, Guanajuato, a 12-year-old boy was photographed in the middle of the street trying to block the march of 11,000 people from moving forward. Journalist Manuel Rodriguez captured an image …

Early this year Finland’s parliament finalized the details of the marriage equality law which goes into effect in March 2017. Enter the group attempting to repeal the law before then. Via the Helsinki Times: A citizens’ initiative to repeal the upcoming legislative amendment granting marriage rights to same-sex couples was discussed at the Finnish Parliament on Thursday. Hanna Sarkkinen (Left …

Some pleasant news to end a day otherwise full of hate. Via the Associated Press: Lawmakers in Aruba have voted to grant same-sex couples the right to register their unions and receive benefits granted to married people on the Dutch Caribbean island. Parliament voted 11-5 with four abstentions late Thursday to amend civil code regulations related to marriage to cover …

Politico reports: Between his votes supporting the Confederate flag and stand against gay Republican candidates for Congress, Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) has more in common with rural Alabamans than the people of northern New Jersey. At least, that’s the main message of a new, $162,000 House Majority PAC ad that will air hit TV stations in his district Tuesday. In …

The opinion of this Roy Moore wannabe was in the minority but Slate warns of what it portends. Mark Joseph Stern writes: On Friday, the Texas Supreme Court refused to review a lower court ruling holding that cities may not deprive married same-sex couples the benefits it provides to opposite-sex couples. The court’s decision leaves in place a pro-equality ruling …

The Guardian reports: Labor and a group of Greens and independent MPs have separately given notice that they will introduce private members’ bills to legalise same-sex marriage. Greens MP Adam Bandt and independents Cathy McGowan and Andrew Wilkie gave notice on Tuesday of a cross-party marriage equality bill, in identical terms to one before the previous parliament. On Tuesday, as …