New Jersey Gov. Corzine says he hopes to sign marriage equality legislation into law in 2009. He has also announced a new regulation allowing transgender NJ residents to provide an affidavit of their gender identity to change the gender on their driver’s licenses, instead of the old requirement of proof of gender reassignment surgery.
The California House and Senate have both approved resolutions calling on the state Supreme Court to declare Prop. 8 illegal. The court will hear arguments on Thursday and will rule within 3 months.
We usually wouldn’t waste our breath on the ridiculous anti-gay antics of Westboro Baptist Church’s Pastor Fred Phelps, but we’ll make an exception for anything that involves the Supreme Court. The Court has ruled against Phelps, who sued the Casper, Wyoming City Council for not allowing a statue declaring that Matthew Shepard went to hell be erected in a government park.
While we’re on the topic of crazy, hateful anti-gay activists, let’s talk about the latest comments from Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality. He claims that young conservatives who favor civil unions for same-sex couples are confused by the crafty gays, who have tricked them into not realizing how dangerous civil unions are to society and what a threat they are to religious freedom. Even we don’t think we’re that clever…
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Morning Sweep
The Poughkeepsie Journal writes on the fight for marriage for same-sex couples in New Paltz.
The lawyer for Keith Phoenix, one of the two men charged with second-degree murder in the slaying of Jose Sucuzhanay in Brooklyn, claims the killing was not a hate crime. He will argue that client acted in self-defense, believing that the victim was reaching for a gun during their confrontation.
A Troy resident writes on the changing climate for marriage equality in light of the pro-gay acceptance speeches at this year's oscars in this Albany Times-Union op-ed.
Legislation to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will likely be introduced in Congress today.
Prop. 8 faces the California Supreme Court this week. The L.A. Times does a great job of breaking down the arguments on both sides. And not surprisingly, a profile of the two lead lawyers in the case shows they couldn’t be any more different than each other.
CNN reports that hate groups are experiencing a surge in membership since Obama took office.
James Dobson, famous anti-gay chairman of Focus on the Family, has stepped down. But as Joe.My.God puts it, "Don't expect Dobson's stepping down as chairman to have the slightest change in their evil doings."
The lawyer for Keith Phoenix, one of the two men charged with second-degree murder in the slaying of Jose Sucuzhanay in Brooklyn, claims the killing was not a hate crime. He will argue that client acted in self-defense, believing that the victim was reaching for a gun during their confrontation.
A Troy resident writes on the changing climate for marriage equality in light of the pro-gay acceptance speeches at this year's oscars in this Albany Times-Union op-ed.
Legislation to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will likely be introduced in Congress today.
Prop. 8 faces the California Supreme Court this week. The L.A. Times does a great job of breaking down the arguments on both sides. And not surprisingly, a profile of the two lead lawyers in the case shows they couldn’t be any more different than each other.
CNN reports that hate groups are experiencing a surge in membership since Obama took office.
James Dobson, famous anti-gay chairman of Focus on the Family, has stepped down. But as Joe.My.God puts it, "Don't expect Dobson's stepping down as chairman to have the slightest change in their evil doings."
Friday, February 27, 2009
Morning Sweep
A second man has been arrested in anti-gay, anti-Hispanic hate crime killing of Ecuadorean immigrant Jose Sucuzhañay, who was beaten to death in a brutal attack last December.
In a Gannett news story (featured in the Elmira Star Gazette and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle), Pride Agenda executive director Alan Van Capelle reiterates what we’ve been saying all along – the Democratic Majority in the Senate doesn’t guarantee marriage, but it does guarantee that it’s time to do the hard work necessary to win hearts and minds.
The White House has announced that Jeffrey S. Crowley, and openly gay Senior Research Scholar at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute, will be the Director of Office of National AIDS Policy.
Legislation update: New Mexico’s domestic partnership bill was voted down in the Senate, and Rhode Island has introduced a marriage bill in both houses.
Colorado State Senator Scott Renfroe, who during a debate on partner health benefits on Tues. compared extending benefits for the “sin” of homosexuality to legalizing the sin of murder, has clarified his statements. You see, unlike murderers, he doesn’t think homosexuals deserve to be punished – but he does stand by his beliefs. Thanks for your leniency, Sen. Renfroe!
Speaking of gays and violence, a clip of Liberty Counsel radio host Mat Staver’s speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference yesterday is circulating widely. Staver says gay parenting leads to kids being raised in “fatherless households,” which turns them into violent offenders. So inversely, having two gay daddies will make you a Rhodes scholar, right?
Continuing on today’s “gay and violent” theme, Sean Hannity was unhappy with gay kissing at the Oscars, saying “They keep showing the scenes of men kissing. And I’m thinking do we have to expose our children to more and more sex, more and more violence, you know, more and more controversy?” GLAAD responds with a video montage of all the kisses – 14 straight and 3 gay – shown at the Oscars. What Zac and Vanessa want to do in the privacy of their own home is one thing, but not in front of the children…
Bilerico guest blogger Monica Helms, president of the Transgender American Veterans Association, reflects on the recent series of articles on trans veterans in the Tucson Daily Star.
The home of Franklin E. Kameny, who has been called "the father of gay activism," has been designated as a D.C. Historic Landmark.
In a Gannett news story (featured in the Elmira Star Gazette and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle), Pride Agenda executive director Alan Van Capelle reiterates what we’ve been saying all along – the Democratic Majority in the Senate doesn’t guarantee marriage, but it does guarantee that it’s time to do the hard work necessary to win hearts and minds.
The White House has announced that Jeffrey S. Crowley, and openly gay Senior Research Scholar at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute, will be the Director of Office of National AIDS Policy.
Legislation update: New Mexico’s domestic partnership bill was voted down in the Senate, and Rhode Island has introduced a marriage bill in both houses.
Colorado State Senator Scott Renfroe, who during a debate on partner health benefits on Tues. compared extending benefits for the “sin” of homosexuality to legalizing the sin of murder, has clarified his statements. You see, unlike murderers, he doesn’t think homosexuals deserve to be punished – but he does stand by his beliefs. Thanks for your leniency, Sen. Renfroe!
Speaking of gays and violence, a clip of Liberty Counsel radio host Mat Staver’s speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference yesterday is circulating widely. Staver says gay parenting leads to kids being raised in “fatherless households,” which turns them into violent offenders. So inversely, having two gay daddies will make you a Rhodes scholar, right?
Continuing on today’s “gay and violent” theme, Sean Hannity was unhappy with gay kissing at the Oscars, saying “They keep showing the scenes of men kissing. And I’m thinking do we have to expose our children to more and more sex, more and more violence, you know, more and more controversy?” GLAAD responds with a video montage of all the kisses – 14 straight and 3 gay – shown at the Oscars. What Zac and Vanessa want to do in the privacy of their own home is one thing, but not in front of the children…
Bilerico guest blogger Monica Helms, president of the Transgender American Veterans Association, reflects on the recent series of articles on trans veterans in the Tucson Daily Star.
The home of Franklin E. Kameny, who has been called "the father of gay activism," has been designated as a D.C. Historic Landmark.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Morning Sweep
Police have arrested and charged a suspect in the murder of Jose O. Sucuzhanay, the Ecuadorian immigrant who was killed in Brooklyn in December in an alleged hate crime.
The Hawaii Senate Judiciary Committee is deadlocked on the state’s civil unions bill. Democratic Senate leaders could overrule the deadlock and move the bill to vote on the Senate floor if more than one-third of senators approve. The civil unions bill has already passed in the state House.
The show will go on: the L.A. high school that received media attention for banning a production of “Rent” has decided to put the musical on after all.
The Hawaii Senate Judiciary Committee is deadlocked on the state’s civil unions bill. Democratic Senate leaders could overrule the deadlock and move the bill to vote on the Senate floor if more than one-third of senators approve. The civil unions bill has already passed in the state House.
The show will go on: the L.A. high school that received media attention for banning a production of “Rent” has decided to put the musical on after all.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
GENDA introduced in the Assembly & Senate
The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) has been introduced in the NYS Assembly (Uni A.5710/Gottfried) and Senate (Uni S.2406/Duane).
First introduced in 2003, GENDA would ban discrimination against transgender people in housing, employment, credit, public accommodations, and other areas of everyday life.
GENDA passed in the Assembly for the first time ever in June of last year with a vote of 108-34 and a record 74 co-sponsors.
With the new pro-LGBT Majority in the State Senate and Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith in support of GENDA, we are finally poised to win GENDA in both the Assembly and the Senate —and when we do, we have Governor Paterson’s promise to sign the bill into law. The Pride Agenda will keep working hard to make this happen—and we’ll keep you updated on GENDA’s progress as we do!
First introduced in 2003, GENDA would ban discrimination against transgender people in housing, employment, credit, public accommodations, and other areas of everyday life.
GENDA passed in the Assembly for the first time ever in June of last year with a vote of 108-34 and a record 74 co-sponsors.
With the new pro-LGBT Majority in the State Senate and Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith in support of GENDA, we are finally poised to win GENDA in both the Assembly and the Senate —and when we do, we have Governor Paterson’s promise to sign the bill into law. The Pride Agenda will keep working hard to make this happen—and we’ll keep you updated on GENDA’s progress as we do!
Morning Sweep
On Monday night, Defying Inequality, a benefit concert for gay rights organizations including the Pride Agenda, was held at the Gershwin Theatre in NYC. Good as You has great clips of the night’s inspiring performances.
The California resolution to invalidate Prop. 8 has passed out of the judiciary committee and will now go to the Senate floor for a vote. The resolution argues that the ban on same-sex marriages was a constitutional revision, and therefore should have needed approval from the legislature to be put on the ballot.
Democrats in Utah’s State Senate are calling for Sen. Chris Buttars to be removed from his post on two additional committees because of his anti-gay remarks. Buttars has already lost his chairmanship on the judiciary committee.
Also in Utah, Gov. Jon Huntsman would have liked to see the state’s “Common Ground” pro-LGBT legislation passed. He recently told Politico: “I’ve always thought that we were a little bit behind in terms of equality for people born under the same constitution.”
The public relations firm behind the “Yes on Prop 8” campaign reveals their playbook – and Queerty translates the lessons we can learn from it.
The California resolution to invalidate Prop. 8 has passed out of the judiciary committee and will now go to the Senate floor for a vote. The resolution argues that the ban on same-sex marriages was a constitutional revision, and therefore should have needed approval from the legislature to be put on the ballot.
Democrats in Utah’s State Senate are calling for Sen. Chris Buttars to be removed from his post on two additional committees because of his anti-gay remarks. Buttars has already lost his chairmanship on the judiciary committee.
Also in Utah, Gov. Jon Huntsman would have liked to see the state’s “Common Ground” pro-LGBT legislation passed. He recently told Politico: “I’ve always thought that we were a little bit behind in terms of equality for people born under the same constitution.”
The public relations firm behind the “Yes on Prop 8” campaign reveals their playbook – and Queerty translates the lessons we can learn from it.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Morning Sweep
The New York Times editorial board writes that the Rhode Island marriage equality bill, which has died in committee for years, deserves a vote on the House and Senate floor.
The Supreme Court has declined to hear the case of a Kentucky high school student who wants to sue his school district over a policy that allegedly barred him from expressing his opposition to homosexuality.
When asked if he supports the idea of civil unions, new RNC Chair Michael Steele responded, “What are you, crazy?”
The Washington Post takes note of the contribution being made to the nation’s political dialogue by LGBT bloggers. Pam Spaulding provides insight into the growing trend.
The Supreme Court has declined to hear the case of a Kentucky high school student who wants to sue his school district over a policy that allegedly barred him from expressing his opposition to homosexuality.
When asked if he supports the idea of civil unions, new RNC Chair Michael Steele responded, “What are you, crazy?”
The Washington Post takes note of the contribution being made to the nation’s political dialogue by LGBT bloggers. Pam Spaulding provides insight into the growing trend.
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