Tag Archives: LGBT rights

Many of us here watched the live-stream last week while Mississippi state Sen. Jenifer Branning presented HB 1523, which legalizes anti-LGBT discrimination in public accommodations, housing, and employment. Branning called into the radio show of hate group leader Bryan Fischer on Friday to defend the bill, claiming that anti-Christian bigotry is sweeping the nation. “All you have to do is …

Theatergoers in North Carolina won’t be seeing Wicked, Godspell, Pippin, or any of Oscar-winning composer Stephen Schwartz’s many other shows due the state’s anti-LGBT hate law. Broadway World has his statement: To my fellow theatre writers and producers: As you no doubt know, the state of North Carolina has recently passed a reprehensible and discriminatory law. I feel that it …

From the Raleigh News & Observer: With signs that read “Y’all means all” and “Bigotry is a bad business model,” more than 200 people marched down Jones Street in Raleigh, N.C., and protested House Bill 2 across from the Executive Mansion on Saturday afternoon. “Triangle Families against HB2” was a peaceful event that lasted about two hours. HB2 overturned an …

Mississippi’s anti-LGBT hate law may reach the desk of Gov. Phil Bryant today and this is the story currently leading his state’s headlines. From the Jackson Clarion-Ledger: A Mississippi RV park owner evicted an interracial couple because of the color of their skin. “Me and my husband, not ever in 10 years have we experienced any problem,” said Erica Flores …

JMG reader Alan directs us to the below clip from the Human Rights Campaign which picks apart the many lies North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory has spewed in the wake of national condemnation of his state’s hate bill. The clip notes that Politifact has given McCrory their “false” rating for his claim that HB2 doesn’t take away any existing rights. …

The American Public Transportation Association, which was founded in 1882 and has 1500 member organizations, says they really wish they could cancel their May convention in Charlotte over North Carolina’s hate law, but are unable to nullify their contract. From their statement: APTA is committed to being inclusive and does not condone discrimination of any kind against anyone who works …

As I noted several days ago, organizers of High Point Market Week, which bills itself as the world’s largest home furnishings trade show, say they are being deluged with cancellations in the wake of North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signing his state’s hate bill into law. Yesterday the 26,000-member American Society of Interior Designers issued a statement backing the boycott …

Yesterday afternoon Mississippi Democrats used a procedural tactic to temporarily delay their state’s anti-LGBT hate bill, which is still likely to reach the desk of Gov. Phil Bryant as early as Monday. Today NOM president Brian Brown’s offshoot group ActRight launched a petition urging Bryant to sign to bill. An excerpt: All across America, LGBT extremists are working overtime to …

The New York Times reports: The Obama administration is considering whether North Carolina’s new law on gay and transgender rights makes the state ineligible for billions of dollars in federal aid for schools, highways and housing, officials said Friday. Cutting off any federal money — or even simply threatening to do so — would put major new pressure on North …

Just in from hate group leader Brian Brown: Dear Marriage Supporter, As you know, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal has become the latest example of a cowardly Republican who has thrown people of faith to the wolves by vetoing extremely modest religious liberty legislation (HB 757) that would have protected pastors, churches and religious groups from having to participate in same-sex …

From Jackson’s ABC affiliate: The Mississippi House on Friday passed a final version of a bill that allows government employees and private business people to cite religious beliefs to refuse licenses or other services for same-sex couples who want to marry. House Bill 1523 is now headed to Gov. Phil Bryant, who is expected to sign it into law. The …

Yesterday furniture magnate Mitchell Gold, co-founder of the national chain of upscale home furnishings outlets, appeared on CNBC’s Closing Bell to eloquently denounce North Carolina’s hate law. Watch this below. Gold is also a well-known activist, having in 2006 founded the pro-LGBT religious group Faith In America.

The Perchy Bird reports: Greenland’s same-sex marriage law went into effect today (April 1st). The marriage bill, which is an adoption of Denmark’s matrimonial laws, was passed unanimously by both the Greenlandic Parliament and Danish Parliament. The two-year long journey from the first marriage bill’s submission to marriage equality in Greenland began back in 2014 when the same-sex marriage bill …

Yesterday was the International Day of Transgender Visibility and in support Wells Fargo lit its 48-story Duke Energy Center tower in Charlotte in pink, white, and blue, which are the colors of the transgender pride flag. Also yesterday Wells Fargo joined the 80+ major corporations who have called for the repeal of North Carolina’s hate law. From the Charlotte Observer: …

Considering their track record, let’s hope they get the contract. Via press release: Liberty Counsel sent a letter yesterday to the North Carolina House and Senate offering pro bono services in defense of the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act. The Act recently was signed into law by Governor Pat McCrory. However, Attorney General Cooper has refused to defend it. …

Some GOOD news out of Mississippi! From the Jackson Clarion-Ledger: A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction to bar Mississippi from carrying out its law preventing same-sex couples from adopting, according to a court order filed Thursday. The order was issued the day after the state Senate passed the Religious Liberty Accommodation Act, which would allow businesses to deny services …

Mississippi state Sen. Jenifer Branning has taken down her campaign Facebook page after last night’s passage of a sweeping anti-LGBT “license to discriminate” bill that some are calling even worse than the one just enacted in North Carolina. Branning spent hours at the Senate podium defending the bill to angry Democrats, one of whom introduced an amendment that would have …

Politico reports: The criticism and backlash to North Carolina’s new law that eliminated anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people reeks of hypocrisy in several ways, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory said Thursday. Voters in the Final Four host city of Houston, McCrory remarked during an interview with “Fox and Friends,” last November overwhelmingly rejected Proposition 1, known …

Crain’s Chicago reports: Mayor Rahm Emanuel is issuing an executive order banning official city travel to North Carolina. And, seeking to gain from a flap over the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people there, Emanuel says he’ll be contacting North Carolina companies that might be interested in relocating to a “more inclusive” Chicago. In comments after an unrelated …

Variety reports: A+E Networks and 21st Century Fox may refrain from filming future projects in North Carolina if the state does not repeal a controversial law that bars local LGBT anti-discrimination ordinances. The companies have stopped short, however, of withdrawing current projects from the state. Principal photography on “Shots Fired,” a drama series for Fox Broadcasting produced by 20th Century …