Landmark same-sex marriage lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania

A federal suit was filed today in Philadelphia to declare unconstitutional the Pennsylvania statute that bans recognition of same-sex marriage legally entered into states that authorize same-sex marriages. The suit raises important constitutional questions that the courts have not addressed, including the impact of full faith and credit clause, which requires states to respect judgment,…

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HRC names Tom O’Donnell vice president of policy and political affairs

WASHINGTON – Today the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) announced Thomas P. O’Donnell as the organization’s new Vice President for Policy and Political Affairs.  O’Donnell joins HRC after previous service as a senior official in the White House, the U.S. Senate, the Obama and Clinton Presidential Transition Teams, several Presidential campaigns and nominating Conventions, and as…

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UN LGBT Core Group issues declaration on ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity

Today, following their meeting  members of the LGBT Core Group at the United Nations issued the following declaration on ending violence and discrimination against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity: 1.   We, ministers of Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, El Salvador, France, Israel, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and United States, and the High…

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Census Bureau: HIV/AIDS database update

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The following tip sheet has been released today by the U.S. Census Bureau: This compilation of data from 219 countries and areas on the prevalence of HIV infection and AIDS cases and deaths is updated to include new data for more than 100 countries. Major updates include new data for China, Ghana, Ethiopia, India and Cameroon. The database focuses on HIV/AIDS…

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IOC abandons LGBT Russians, Olympic athletes ahead of Sochi Games

WASHINGTON – Today the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the governing body of the Olympic Games, announced it was “fully satisfied” that Russia’s heinous anti-gay propaganda law does not violate the anti-discrimination guarantees of the Olympic charter.  Recently the Russian government adopted a law that outlaws even the most modest gestures of support for the dignity…

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