WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.), both members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, sent a letter to United States Census Bureau Director John H. Thompson requesting more information on the Census Bureau’s processes it uses to include subjects fairly and accurately in the 2020…
NEW YORK – Yet another attempt to block the United Nations mandate of the Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) has been halted today at the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly plenary in New York City. In a tight vote, States refused to support an attempt to “defer consideration…
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California State Teachers’ Retirement System’s (CalSTRS) Investment Committee has updated their Corporate Governance Principles to expand the definition of board diversity to include sexual orientation and gender identity. The CalSTRS Corporate Governance Principles outline the basis for how the fund implements governance initiatives with its portfolio companies. Today’s action aligns…
A City Council committee has voted unanimously to amend the city’s nondiscriminatory policy in contracting to include gender identity and gender expression. “We cannot and should not award contracts to any business that discriminates against anyone, including transgender people,” said committee chairman Todd Gloria. The 4-0 vote by the Budget & Government Efficiency Committee March…
Social networking giant Facebook today rolled out a new, inclusive feature that will allow individuals to use their own words to describe their gender identity. The change builds on the “Custom Gender” option introduced last year by Facebook, which provides users a list of more than 50 gender identities they can choose from to describe…
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released its annual Hate Crime Statistics for 2013, including for the first time statistics for hate crimes reported based on gender identity. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) responded to the report by urging all law enforcement to report hate crimes in their jurisdiction in order to…
Today, the White House released further amendments to Executive Order 11478, Equal Employment Opportunity in the Federal Government, and Executive Order 11246, Equal Employment Opportunity. Essentially the amendments added the words “gender identity” to the appropriate sentences of the Executive Orders. The Orders ensure that federal employees – who are already protected on the basis…
WASHINGTON – Last night at the White House LGBT Pride Reception, President Obama announced he would be issuing an executive order to protect transgender federal employees from workplace discrimination. Once issued, it would expand upon an executive order from President Bill Clinton, which banned workplace discrimination among federal employees on the basis of sexual orientation. …
WASHINGTON – Tuesday, at a hearing of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, Liberty University Dean and Professor of Law Mathew Staver submitted prepared testimony which included a profoundly inaccurate anti-LGBT rant. The hearing had been convened at the behest of the subcommittee’s chairman, Rep. Trent Franks, on the subject of…
Monday, the Department of Defense (DoD) released a new DoD Human Goals Charter, signed by Secretary of Defense Hagel. The last iteration of that document was released in 1998, and included mention of equal equality based on sexual orientation for civilian employees, but not for military servicemembers. The new iteration includes a language based on…
