Trump attacks Affordable Care Act with executive order

Today, President Trump continued his attack on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by signing a new executive order which undermines state regulations and ACA protections. Trump’s new executive order could open loopholes that draw younger and healthier people to bare-bones plans, destabilizing the marketplace, inflating costs for ACA participants and undermining protections for people with…

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76 major companies sign brief supporting lesbian worker in Evans v. Georgia Regional Hospital

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) announced a “friend of the court” brief signed by 76 major U.S. companies supporting Jameka Evans, Evans v. Georgia Regional Hospital, in her efforts to ask the Supreme Court of the United States to hear her case. Evans was was harassed in the workplace and fired…

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Legal advocates in fight against Trump transgender military ban praise congressional demand for answers

WASHINGTON, D.C. — More than 100 Members of Congress wrote to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis asking him to provide any “discussions or correspondence between the White House and the Pentagon” that purportedly informed President Trump’s decision to ban transgender individuals from serving in the military. The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLBTQ Legal…

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Mississippi’s HB 1523 becomes law today allowing residents to legally deny services to LGBTQ people

JACKSON, Miss. — Today, HB 1523 is set to go into effect in the state of Mississippi, granting Mississippians the ability to use so-called “religious exemptions” to legally deny LGBTQ people employment, housing, adoption rights, marriage licenses, and even services at a local business. This follows Department of Justice guidance released last Friday which is…

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SAGE Awards and Gala announced: Citi, Lorraine Cortés-Vásquez, Cleve Jones to be honored

NEW YORK, N.Y. — SAGE, the nation’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT elders, has announced its 22nd Annual SAGE Awards & Gala will take place Monday, Oct. 16, at 6 p.m., at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. Honorees this year include: Citi, which will receive the Corporate…

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Gov. Brown - LGBT Weekly

Governor signs bill modernizing California’s HIV laws

SACRAMENTO, Calif.— Gov. Jerry Brown Friday signed into law landmark legislation to reform outdated laws that unfairly criminalized and stigmatized people living with HIV. Senate Bill (SB) 239 was authored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Asm. Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) and cosponsored by Equality California, the ACLU of California, APLA Health, Black AIDS Institute,…

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Gov. Brown signs ‘Bill of Rights’ for LGBTQ seniors in long-term care

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill that creates a “bill of rights” for LGBTQ seniors in long-term care.  Senate Bill (SB) 219, authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and sponsored by Equality California, will help protect seniors from discrimination or mistreatment in long-term care facilities. “Our LGBT seniors built…

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ACLU: DOJ anti-LGBT guidance ‘isn’t consistent with religious freedom’

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Justice Friday issued guidance to federal agencies encouraging a dangerously broad interpretation of religious freedom laws that will open the door to discrimination against LGBT people, women, and religious minorities. The guidance is a follow-up to President Trump’s May executive order that signaled an intent to expand religious exemptions….

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HRC, Equality NC and MeckPAC endorse Vi Lyles for mayor of Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Friday, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Equality NC and the Mecklenburg LGBT Political Action Committee (MeckPAC) announced their endorsement of Vi Lyles for mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. “Vi Lyles is committed to building a stronger community and advancing equality for LGBTQ Charlotteans,” said HRC National Field Director Marty Rouse. “With the experience and vision needed…

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Trump-Pence administration unleashes sweeping anti-LGBTQ ‘License to Discriminate Guidance’

WASHINGTON, D.C. — United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued guidance today, which invites taxpayer funded federal agencies, government employees, and government contractors to legally discriminate as long as they cite a religious belief as the reason for doing it. This guidance follows the anti-LGBTQ executive order signed by President Trump – which could ultimately…

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