‘Teaching Tolerance’ guide provides educators with steps for creating welcoming schools for LGBT students

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Though lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students are harassed at twice the rate of other students, a few purposeful steps can help transform a school into a safer place for all students, according to a guide released today by the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance project. Best Practices: Creating an LGBT-inclusive…

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EQCA announces 2013 legislative package focused on health care, transgender equality and non-discrimination

Equality California (EQCA) has  announced its sponsorship of five bills in the 2013-14 legislative session focused on reducing discrimination and improving the health and equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Californians. “This legislative package is broad and fundamental,” said John O’Connor, EQCA executive director. “With these bills, we will end an unfair tax that…

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Judicial nominee offends Indonesia’s gay community, offers apology

JAKARTA, Indonesia — In a sign of just how far the struggle for equality has come, an Indonesian constitutional court justice was forced to backtrack and apologize after stating his opposition to same-sex marriage during a fit and proper test before the House Commission III, the country’s legal affairs division. The justice, Arief Hidayat, was asked…

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New Zealand lawmakers approve same-sex marriage bill

  WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The New Zealand Parliament has approved a bill to legalize same-sex marriage , bringing the bill one vote closer to becoming law. The Jurist.org reported that the bill was approved  by a vote of 77-44, in the second of three votes needed to become law. The second vote is generally the most critical, with the…

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Obama cannot imagine a constitutional reason to ban same-sex marriage

President Barack Obama has said he could not imagine a circumstance in which a state banning gay marriage was legal, the furthest statement in support of same-sex couples’ marriage rights made by the president. In an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, President Barack Obama said a state would need a “good justification” for treating…

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Military officials, servicemembers urge Supreme Court to end DOMA

WASHINGTON – Former Congressman and former U.S. Navy Three-Star Admiral Joe Sestak today joined with Former Congressman, Army Captain and Iraq War Veteran Patrick Murphy, OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson and Staff Sgt. Tracy Johnson in urging the U.S. Supreme Court to end the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Thirty military officials and OutServe-SLDN,…

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