In addition to passing a Religious Freedom Restoration Act through the Michigan House of Representatives Dec. 4, in a surprise move the Michigan legislative body also resurrected three bills that would allow adoption or foster care providers to refuse services on the basis of their personal religious objections—the consequences of which would be immediate, random,…
I can frame the hardest month of the year for me by the dates of Nov. 20 and Dec. 25. For me, it’s a month punctuated by anniversaries, holidays and the sun’s low position in the sky that contribute to feelings of depression. Each year, the Transgender Day of Remembrance (Nov. 20) begins my hard…
WASHINGTON – Today the Department of Labor announced the final rule for the federal government incorporating the executive order signed earlier this year by President Obama prohibiting workplace discrimination against transgender federal employees and LGBT employees of federal contractors. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), praised the implementation of the new rule and vowed to continue…
This week saw me putting up my Christmas tree. For years I’ve had rather ironic Christmas trees, and this year’s tree is no different. Three years ago I had a four-foot, self-lit, tinsel tree; last year it was a spindly, five-foot stick tree with mini, lit yellow and red maple leaves, and this year it’s…
INDIA — The Indian federal government has asked the Supreme Court to modify its landmark ruling that accepted transgender people as a socially and economically backward caste, reports GayAsiaNews.com. The government also told the Supreme Court that gays, lesbians and bisexuals cannot all be clubbed as transgenders and that such a supposition had created confusion….
INDIA — After India’s top court overturned a successful appeal decriminalizing sex between consenting adults of the same gender late last year, members of the LGBT community were demoralized. The decision, widely regarded as surprising given India’s role as the world’s largest democracy, left many in the community scratching their heads and asking: What’s next?…
INDIA — The Indian gay community is seeking to tell its story of marginalization, repression, stigma and discrimination to help inform the public and help lawmakers decide on repealing a law that criminalizes same-sex relations for being “unnatural.” Members of the community have formed “The Gaysi Family” platform in an attempt to gather stories of…
Media Matters for America’s latest post reveals that Breitbart.com criticized a Pennsylvania couple that was refused wedding gowns by a bridal shop owner on religious grounds, assailing the “lesbian bridezillas” for writing about their experience on Facebook. Aug. 7, The Press Enterprise reported that an unidentified lesbian couple in Bloomsburg, PA had been refused service by W. W. Bridal Boutique owner Victoria…
WASHINGTON – If passed, a new piece of federal legislation (S. 2706/H.R. 5285) introduced this week would open a floodgate of adoption discrimination around the country. Penned by Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA), the new bill would allow adoption or foster care providers to refuse service on the basis of their…
Australia’s first gay rugby union team (the Sydney Convicts) will make history when they become the first gay rugby team in the world to play as part of a professional match. In fact, it’s only the second time in the world that a gay team has been invited to play a curtain raiser ahead of…
