This post is from HRC Legislative Counsel Ty Cobb; photos by Media Center Intern Arthur Hartnett:
Last week, HRC joined the Council for Global Equality outside the Ugandan Embassy on Thursday to protest a contemptable bill that would outlaw homosexuality. Bill No. 18, introduced in the Ugandan Parliament in October, would make homosexuality an offense punishable by death in the country. The Council for Global Equality asserts that Bill No. 18 is “undoubtedly one of the most... Read Full Story
Today the Federal Bureau of Investigation issued hate crimes statistics from 2008 showing the number of victims of bias-motivated crimes based on sexual orientation increased by 11 percent that year — the third year in a row reported hate crimes against LGBT people have increased. Hate crimes based on sexual orientation remain the third most common type of hate crimes, behind race and religion.
This is now the backdrop under which the new Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes... Read Full Story
Yesterday I wrote here about a new report, Globalizing the Culture Wars: U.S. Conservatives, African Churches and Homophobia, that looks at the toxic efforts of U.S. Christianists to export their hate based perversion of Christianity and homophobia to the third world and Africa in particular. The issue is important to American LGBT efforts for two reasons: (1) it shows Christianist like Rick Warren to be liars - something we in the LGBT community already knew, but which is lost on most... Read Full Story
Today 145 evangelical, Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian leaders released the “Manhattan Declaration” — a document indicating that they will not cooperate with laws that conflict with their beliefs, including those recognizing same-sex couples. The document also references the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) as a threat to religious liberty. Yet ENDA – which prohibits workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity – broadly exempts religious... Read Full Story
This post is submitted by Meghan Stabler, a member of HRC’s board of directors and also a member of HRC’s Business Council.
On November 5 we saw the first ever Senate hearing on an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (S. 1584). In the coming weeks, we understand that the House Education & Labor Committee will mark up the House version of the bill, H.R. 3017. I have deep hope and belief that we will see passage from committee to the House very soon. Meanwhile we have work to do... Read Full Story
President Barack Obama promised gay and lesbian activists he will repeal a ban on gays in the US military, rebuking complaints he has not honored his promises to fight for equal rights. "I will end 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' That's my commitment to you," Obama said during a rousing speech before some 3,000 activists at an event organized by the country's biggest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights organization. "We should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped... Read Full Story
Photo from Google Images.
Nov. 16 – 20 marks Transgender Awareness Week, culminating in Transgender Day of Remembrance on Friday. Cincinnati and Columbus have planned candle light vigils for the victims of transgender hate crimes and GenderBloc, a radical queer organization on the University of Cincinnati campus, will be placing flags on the commons to represent the amount of transgender people killed annually.
Posted in activism, cincinnati, columbus, Events, ftm, gender... Read Full Story
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - American TV viewers are seeing more gay, lesbian and transgender characters on their screens and story lines are better reflecting current issues in the gay community, according to a survey set for release on Thursday. Characters like gay police officer John Cooper on NBC's "Southland" -- a rarity for a gritty crime drama -- and the gay parents of an adopted baby on the new ABC comedy "Modern Family" -- are sweeping away old TV stereotypes. Some 44 lesbian, gay... Read Full Story
Wouldn’t it be great to have an online source for all kinds of practical and politically insightful information highlighting the critical issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities of color?
Now we have one with the recent launch of LGBTRacialEquity.org by the Funders for LGBT Issues .
The new site serves as a virtual toolkit chock-full of thoughtful and timely resources, including:
• A broad range of perspectives on dozens of issues and topics, from building... Read Full Story
This post is from Tom Sullivan, HRC’s family project deputy director:
Yesterday marked the official launch of the OurFamiliesCount.org website which will promote LGBT visibility and participation in next year’s U.S. Census.
This online public education campaign is a collaboration of LGBT community and allied groups that will motivate LGBT Americans to take part in the 2010 U.S. Census. HRC is a proud member of this coalition. The website has both English and Spanish language versions... Read Full Story
