On NBC’s Meet the Press yesterday former Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) told Chuck Todd same-sex marriage has advanced because people stopped hiding. Watch the video above. “Well, I tell you, our reality as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender people beat the prejudice,” said Frank. “I mean, the central mechanism is that we stopped hiding. And it…
SACRAMENTO – Homeless youth across California would have greater access to the high school proficiency and equivalency exams under new legislation introduced by Senator Mark Leno. Senate Bill 252 would prohibit the Department of Education or testing companies from charging an exam fee to young people who are homeless. “Exam fees, which cost up to…
AUSTIN — Texas State Rep. Celia Israel has introduced a bill that would protect youth and their families from the discredited practice of conversion therapy. The bill— HB 3495 —reflects the unanimous view of medical, mental health, and child welfare experts that attempts by therapists to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity…
NEW YORK– Path2Parenthood (P2P), formerly The American Fertility Association, has kicked off its 2015 HIV & Parenthood Initiative. “Dreams to Reality” is an education and outreach program highlighting medical advances that allow HIV-positive men and women to have genetically-linked children without passing along the virus. Funded by a generous grant from the Elton John AIDS Foundation…
WASHINGTON, D.C. — According to a new report released yesterday by a broad coalition of research and advocacy organizations, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) women are among the most at risk of poverty in America. Due to discriminatory laws, America’s 5.1 million LGBT women face lower pay, frequent harassment, compromised access to health care,…
OKLAHOMA CITY — This afternoon, a bill introduced to the Oklahoma State House by Representative Sally Kern that would legalize anti-LGBT therapy died without coming to a vote. The defeat follows months of extensive grassroots organizing by national and state organizations working in coalition to educate parents and families about the ineffective and harmful practices…
After a marathon evening session, the Utah legislature gave final approval to S.B. 296, a non-discrimination bill extending existing employment and housing protections in Utah law to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill was introduced last week, the result of a milestone compromise between LGBT advocates in Utah…
BERKELEY, Calif. — April 16-17, the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry (CLGS) at Pacific School of Religion will host a symposium addressing the ways in which the concept of “religious liberty” is being used to justify and further discriminatory actions, such as denying service to same sex couples or limiting…
The Florida House of Representatives voted Wednesday to remove a statutory adoption ban on lesbian and gay parents that was enacted in 1977 but declared unconstitutional by a state appeals court in 2010. Since then, state officials have declined to enforce the ban, but it has remained in Florida Statutes. The move came as part…
WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) today announced that U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) will be the featured speaker at the 2015 Los Angeles Gala Dinner this Saturday, March 14. “Senator Franken is an unapologetic supporter of fairness and equality,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “A leader in the successful effort to repeal ‘Don’t…
