More than 77,000 people have signed an online petition to reject the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) anti -LGBT policy and reinstate Tim Griffin, The Eagle Scout who was fired by the Golden Empire Council because he is gay. Griffin was the longest-serving employee (8 years) at Camp Winton in Amador County, Calif. The Golden…
U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken found Thursday that the Defense of Marriage Act’s (DOMA) limiting of same-sex couples’ and domestic partners’ rights to participate in a long-term care plan offered by the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) is unconstitutional. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District becomes the first federal court to decide a case relating DOMA…
Photo Credit: Change.org/Tico Almeida WASHINGTON, DC – More than 100,000 people have joined Tico Almeida’s campaign on Change.org urging President Obama to sign an executive order banning anti-gay discrimination among federal contractors. Tico Almeida, Founder and President of Freedom to Work, started the petition on Change.org to call attention to the millions of workers at…
EXCLUSIVE San Diego resident William X. Walters, 30, has filed a federal civil rights claim against the San Diego Police Dept. after he was arrested for public nudity, a violation of Municipal Code 56.53, during the 2011 San Diego LGBT Pride festival held in July at Balboa Park. Walters contends that police, with involvement and…
The “It Gets Better” campaign is in full swing, but some teens have yet to understand its message. Jamey Rodemeyer, 14, was another teen who fell victim to bullies after taking his own life on the eve of the National Bullying Summit. Rodemeyer gave ample warning signs that he was struggling with his sexuality through…
The Los Angeles School District makes history this week as it unanimously passed the LGBT and Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Anti-Bullying Resolution Act, born from SB 48 – the FAIR Education Act – which passed in July. The bill, sponsored by Steve Zimmer who represents the LAUSD 4th district, will ensure children and teens…
Two of the nation’s largest insurance companies have elected to extend coverage to same-sex married couples at a reduced rate. While most insurance companies offer discounted rates for different-sex couples, State Farm and Allstate allow married gay couples and domestic partners to take advantage of a lower insurance premium in the eight states where gay…
Mere days after Governor Jerry Brown signed the FAIR Education Act in the interest of honest, inclusive historical teaching throughout California’s schools, socially conservative opponents of the act launched a referendum campaign to repeal the measure and end “corruption disguised as freedom. Activists working to challenge the FAIR Education Act gathered 504,760 signatures – some…
Alix Genter of New Jersey is getting married next summer in New York City; and last weekend, she and her family went to a local Somers’ Point bridal shop called “Here Comes The Bride” to select a dress for the long-awaited occasion. However, upon reading Genter’s customer information form and seeing that the word “groom”…
Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, who currently stars as a coach on NBC’s “The Voice,” took a hit at his TV competitor “American Idol” recently when he said that the latter show’s judges discourage LGBT contestants from publicizing their sexuality. According to Reuters, Levine’s public criticism of “Idol” began during a new interview with Out…
