Today the U.S. Senate voted 61 to 30 to consider the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) with strong bipartisan support including the entire Democratic caucus and Republican Sens. Kirk, Collins, Hatch, Heller, Ayotte, Toomey and Portman. The procedural move sets up a historic vote later this week, where the Senate will likely pass ENDA for first…
WASHINGTON – Today the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, announced that Jennifer Lopez will receive the 2013 Ally for Equality Award at HRC’s sold-out National Dinner on Saturday, Oct.r 5 in Washington, D.C. “Jennifer Lopez embodies the spirit of an ally to the LGBT…
WASHINGTON – Human Rights Campaign (HRC) president Chad Griffin has written to the head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the CEO of Knights of Columbus – an affiliate of the Roman Catholic Church – calling on them to follow Pope Francis’ message of welcome and mercy for gays and lesbians. In a…
BALTIMORE – NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous has announced plans to transition out of his role as president and CEO Dec. 31. Roslyn M. Brock, chairman of the NAACP Board of Directors, accepted his formal letter of notice this week. “We thank President Jealous for his time leading the Association,” stated Brock. “Under…
WASHINGTON – Following his historic visit to Brazil for World Youth Day, Pope Francis made multiple comments about gay Catholics in the priesthood during a wide-ranging press conference aboard the Papal plane. By all accounts, the Pope was speaking in response to a question about gay priests within the Roman Curia when he said, “Who…
WASHINGTON – Friday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) released a statement to Russian news outlets responding to growing international fear about the safety of LGBT individuals and allies living in Russia or traveling to Russia for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. The fear and outrage is rooted in the recent crackdown on…
WASHINGTON – Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin released the results of a bipartisan poll in Jackson today looking at Mississippians’ positions on LGBT issues. The poll shows 58 percent of Mississippians under 30 support marriage equality. Support also is strong for workplace non-discrimination protections that would protect LGBT employees, with 64 percent of Mississippi…
WASHINGTON – The nation’s leading corporations are continuing to stand up for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), legislation that would provide workplace protections to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Currently, there is no federal law prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Human Rights Campaign President Chad…
WASHINGTON – With days to go until the Supreme Court rules, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has announced that she supports marriage equality. Murkowski joins two of her Republican colleagues – Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio and Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois – in endorsing the right of committed and loving gay and lesbian couples to marry….
The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has approved a resolution condemning the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) decision to allow openly-gay Scouts, and called for the removal of all pro-equality BSA executives and board leaders. Human Rights Campaign (HRC) president Chad Griffin, who was raised Southern Baptist, called out the SBC resolution as affirming and promoting…
