Monday, July 20, 2009

Morning Sweep

The town of Brighton, NY has adopted a resolution in favor of marriage for same-sex couples.

The AP summarizes the trial of Dwight DeLee, who was convicted on Friday of first-degree manslaughter as a hate crime in the murder of 22-year-old transgender Syracuse woman Lateisha Green.

David Boies, part of the high-profile lawyer duo challenging Prop. 8, wrote a well-argued opinion piece on the legal reasons to overturn Prop. 8 in the Wall Street Journal. He writes: "Gays and lesbians are our brothers and sisters, our teachers and doctors, our friends and neighbors, our parents and children. It is time, indeed past time, that we accord them the basic human right to marry the person they love. It is time, indeed past time, that our Constitution fulfill its promise of equal protection and due process for all citizens by now eliminating the last remnant of centuries of misguided state discrimination against gays and lesbians."

A growing number of sponsors have signed on to bills in the U.S. House and Senate to help keep families together by recognizing same-sex couples for immigration purposes.

There's still much work to be done for equality in the workplace: a new poll found that 44% of LGBT participants feel unable to talk freely to co-workers about their partners, and up to 78% don't feel comfortable bringing their partners to corporate social functions.

A shocking amount of violence occurs against LGBT people in Jamaica, despite it being one of the hottest spots for Caribbean vacationers from the U.S.

Organizers are planning a first-ever Pride House for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Like other country-specific hangouts, the area will be a place for LGBT athletes and their friends and family to get together.

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