Tag Archives: LGBT rights

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 …

Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed: In a limited ruling on Friday afternoon, a federal judge barred the University of North Carolina from enforcing the “bathroom bill” provision of the state’s anti-LGBT HB 2 law against those transgender individuals who sued the state following the passage of the law. In the ruling U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Schroeder noted, “Ultimately, the …

Via press release from PFLAG Australia: Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays has stepped up its campaign against a marriage equality plebiscite with the release of a new advertisement. The ad highlights the fact politicians can ignore the result of a plebiscite, as well as the plebiscite’s $160 million price tag. PFLAG national spokesperson, Shelley Argent, said, “As parents, …

USA Today reports: For the governorship, Republican Gov. Pat McCrory is far behind Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper. The incumbent trails Cooper, 52%-43%. Some of McCrory’s struggle could stem from the HB2 law that he signed. The HB2 law, also known as the “bathroom bill,” among other things requires users of public restrooms to use the bathroom of the gender …

Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed: Five states, led by Texas, and several nonprofit medical groups, all of which are religiously affiliated, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday challenging the Obama administration’s efforts to guarantee health care coverage to transgender people under the Affordable Care Act. “On pain of significant financial liability, the [Health and Human Services Department’s] Regulation forces doctors to …

J. Lester Feder reports at Buzzfeed: A group of academics and activists urged the Constitutional Court of Indonesia to criminalize fornication and homosexuality on Tuesday in the latest hearing of a lawsuit that began earlier this year. The suit, which has been brought by 12 academics and activists, has already had several hearings, but captured international attention earlier this month …

Two days ago Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s Liberal Party announced that a national referendum on same-sex marriage will take place in February. Not so fast, says the opposition. Via Australia’s ABC News: A plebiscite on same-sex marriage is looking less likely, with the Federal Opposition determined to have a parliamentary vote to change marriage laws instead. The Government has promised …

The Sydney Morning Herald reports: The Turnbull government will push back the date of the proposed same-sex marriage plebiscite until February 2017, breaking a flagship pledge. The Prime Minister had said he wanted the vote to be held this year. However a spokesperson for Mr Turnbull told Fairfax that Special Minister of State, Scott Ryan, received advice last week from …

The Associated Press reports: The NBA has decided to hold the 2017 All-Star Game in New Orleans, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Friday because the decision hasn’t been announced. An announcement was expected within the day, the person said. New Orleans replaces Charlotte, which was …

Politico reports: A Supreme Court decision allowing some companies to opt out of portions of Obamacare for religious reasons also guarantees the right of firms to engage in religiously motivated discrimination against their employees on the basis of gender, a federal judge in Michigan ruled Thursday. U.S. District Court Judge Sean Cox held that the Supreme Court’s 2014 ruling on …

About 50 brave people participated in Odessa, Ukraine’s first-ever LGBT march this weekend in the face of violent far-right protesters. Compelling video below. NBC News reports: The day before the event, local authorities in Odessa banned the event on the grounds there was a high probability of a conflict, as far-right activists were also scheduled to gather at the same …

From the guy who has vowed to repeal same-sex marriage and whose party just approved the most viciously anti-LGBT platform in history. The Associated Press reports: Donald Trump will declare an end to nation building if elected president, replacing it with what aides described as “foreign policy realism” focused on destroying the Islamic State group and other extremist organizations. In …

The Globe & Mail reports: As early as this autumn, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will apologize on behalf of all Canadians to those who were imprisoned, fired from their jobs or otherwise persecuted in the past because of their sexuality. That apology is a key element in a broad range of reforms that will collectively represent one of the greatest …

Democracy & Freedom Watch reports: President Giorgi Margvelashvili made it clear Tuesday evening that he does not support the proposed referendum about amending the Constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. The reason, Margvelashvili said at a briefing, is that there is already a proper definition of marriage in the Constitution. With two hundred …

The Belize News reports: Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin today found that Section 53 of the Criminal Code which criminalizes consenting intercourse between adults of the same sex contravenes the right granted by the Constitution of Belize to no interference with a person’s dignity and personal privacy, as well as equality and equal treatment of all persons before the law. So …

Sports Illustrated reports: Curt Schilling, a perpetually aggrieved Facebook user who once bled from his ankle, announced plans Sunday to run for President of the United States. In the comments of a post about how “fraudulent” the Democratic party is, Schilling said he wants to be Leader of the Free World in eight years (presumably after two terms of President …

From the Christian Times: Conservative group American Family Association (AFA) urged American consumers to join them this back-to-school season to boycott retail giant Target as “frightening incidences” arise due to its inclusive bathroom policy. AFA marked the new season on the first day of August with a new drive to garner another million signatures to force the retail company to …