This Week
Getaway driver in Hillcrest robbery sentenced to one year in jail, then released
The getaway driver in 11 robberies and attempted holdups in Hillcrest, Ocean Beach, Golden Hill and elsewhere was sentenced July 1 to one year in jail. Benjamin Hernandez, 24, of National City, was released because his jail credits totaled 1,028 days as he received credit for good behavior while in jail since his arrest nearly…
Equality California endorses Todd Gloria and Chris Ward
LOS ANGELES – Equality California announced Wednsday that it will endorse San Diego City Councilmember Todd Gloria for California Assembly District 78, José Cisneros for re-election as San Francisco treasurer and Chris Ward to replace Gloria as councilmember for San Diego City Council District 3. EQCA ma kes early endorsements of exceptional LGBT candidates in…
Episcopal Church votes to allow religious weddings for same-sex couples
The Episcopal Church voted July 1 to allow clergy to preside over religious ceremonies for same-sex couples as of Nov. 1. According to the Episcopal News Service the Episcopal House of Deputies concurred with the House of Bishops’ approval the day before of a canonical change eliminating language defining marriage as between a man and…
Federal Judge in Alabama: Marriage equality must begin in every county. Now.
WASHINGTON –– Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) put the spotlight on a new and crystal-clear order from Judge Callie V.S. Granade, a federal judge in Alabama, declaring in a matter argued by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) that all probate judges in the state must begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples…
California’s landmark Smartphone Theft Bill takes effect today
SACRAMENTO – California’s landmark legislation requiring all new smartphones sold in California to come pre-equipped with kill switch technology takes effect today. SB 962, authored by Sen. Mark Leno and sponsored by San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón, prompts every consumer to enable a kill switch during the initial setup of a new smartphone. The…
CDC awards $216M for community-based HIV prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today that it has awarded $216 million over five years to 90 community-based organizations (CBOs) nationwide to deliver effective HIV prevention strategies to those at greatest risk, including people of color, men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender individuals, and people who inject drugs. “Community-based organizations…
Riot police disperse Istanbul’s Pride parade
Last weekend, while Americans celebrated a victorious ruling at the Supreme Court, riot police disbanded a Pride parade in Istanbul, Turkey. According to Boysan Yakar, a Turkish LGBT activist and former HRC fellow, riot police used water cannons and rubber pellets to disperse Istanbul’s 13th annual pride parade, writes Adrian Gonzalez on the HRC Blog. “Our…
Gov. Chris Christie vetoes important pro-LGBT surrogacy bill
TRENTON, N.J. – Last night, on the day before announcing his candidacy for president of the United States, Gov. Chris Christie vetoed important bipartisan legislation passed by the New Jersey Legislature – the New Jersey Gestational Carrier Agreement Act – that would have modernized New Jersey law by giving legal parental rights of a child…
President Obama honors the positive side of transgender activism at White House LGBT Pride Celebration
The reporting about the White House Pride Reception hosted by President Obama primarily centered upon a persistent heckler berating the president on the treatment of LGBT and transgender immigrants, particularly those being detained in government facilities. The heckler was later identified as Jennicet Gutiérrez, an undocumented transgender woman. Ironically, the very treatment that Gutiérrez was…