Executive Order to protect LGBT people in the federal workplace

In his continuing efforts to provide equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, President Obama is scheduled to issue an Executive Order  to protect LGBT employees of federal contractors and the federal government from employment discrimination. The order is expected to cover both sexual orientation and gender identity. LGBT Weekly publisher, Stampp Corbin,…

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Tenth Circuit rules Oklahoma ban on marriage equality unconstitutional

Today the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued a historic ruling affirming the January 2014 decision from U.S. District Judge Terence Kern in Bishop v. Smith that Oklahoma’s constitutional amendment barring marriage for same-sex couples violates the U.S. Constitution.  The 2-1 decision was authored by Judge Carlos Lucero, who was joined by Judge…

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HHS announces availability of $11 million to better integrate HIV services into community health centers

HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced today the availability of $11 million, through the Affordable Care Act and the Secretary’s Minority AIDS Initiative Fund, to support the integration of high‐quality HIV services into primary care through innovative partnerships between health centers and state health departments in Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland and New York.  This initiative supports…

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Historic twin rulings for marriage equality in Utah and Indiana

In a historic day, a federal judge in Indiana struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, followed almost immediately by the first appellate level win since last year’s Windsor decision as the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling that struck down Utah’s ban late last year. “I remember like it…

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Attorney General Holder issues report outlining Obama administration’s work to extend federal benefits to same-sex married couples

WASHINGTON—Following the Supreme Court’s historic decision striking down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, Attorney General Eric Holder on Friday issued a formal report on the yearlong effort by the Justice Department and other federal agencies to implement the decision smoothly across the entire government. “I am pleased to report that agencies across the federal…

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Important update on LGBT workplace equality

In an important step for LGBT workplace equality, Valerie Bowman Jarrett, senior advisor to the president and assistant to the president for Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs in the Obama administration Tweeted this morning: “Executive action to ban fed contractors from discriminating against #LGBT workers is good for America & for business #WorkplaceEquality“

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Sultan of Brunei cancels annual ‘Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize’

In the wake of intense criticism of  Brunei’s planned implementation of new laws that could lead to women and LGBT Bruneians being stoned to death, the Dorchester made public this morning its decision to cancel its annual fashion competition and gala, known as the Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize. The decision by the hotel company was made…

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