Oxford, Miss. unanimously passes pro-LGBT resolution

Last night Oxford, Miss. unanimously passed a resolution recognizing the dignity and worth of all city residents – including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT).  Oxford joins two other Mississippi cities – Starkville and Hattiesburg – which both passed similar resolutions earlier this year. Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Chad Griffin issued…

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Kentucky attorney general won’t defend state’s ban on marriage equality

Today Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway announced he will not appeal a judge’s order to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states or jurisdictions.  Instead, Governor Steve Beshear will hire outside counsel to appeal the ruling.  Last month U.S. District Court Judge John G. Heyburn II ruled that Kentucky ’s marriage amendment violates the constitutional…

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Maryland Transgender Non-Discrimination Bill passes full Senate

Today the Fairness for All Marylanders Act, a bill that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations and credit, passed the full Senate after last week having been voted out of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. “It is critical that the Maryland legislature gets to the unfinished business of…

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New poll puts support for marriage equality at 56 percent, including historic 40 percent of Republicans

WASHINGTON – A new poll out this week from the New York Times and CBS News shows that 40 percent of Republicans support marriage equality, further indication that Americans are moving steadily in one direction on the issue.  Less than two years ago, just 24 percent of Republicans said they thought it should be legal…

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Lance Bass joins HRC in speaking out against anti-gay Mississippi bill

WASHINGTON — Lance Bass is joining the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, in speaking out against Mississippi’s SB 2681, a bill that would essentially give businesses license to discriminate against LGBT customers. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed a similar bill in her state last…

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Ariz. Gov. Brewer vetoes ‘License to Discriminate’ law

Today Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed a recently-passed bill that would have allowed businesses to refuse services to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community on the basis of religious freedom.  This morning, HRC delivered 65,000 petition signatures to Gov. Brewer calling on her to veto the bill.  The so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act…

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HRC calls on states to abandon ‘license to discriminate’ bills

WASHINGTON – With mounting opposition to Arizona’s so-called “Religious Freedom Restoration Act,” today the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) called on other states considering such measures to abandon their own “license to discriminate” bills.  In addition to Arizona, similar bills have been introduced in Georgia, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon (proposed ballot measure), South Dakota and…

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HRC calls on Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer to veto ‘License to Discriminate Law’

WASHINGTON – Following the Senate passage of Arizona’s so-called “Religious Freedom Restoration Act,” Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin released the following statement: “Religious groups have a long established first amendment ability to operate according to their own beliefs. However, when individuals or businesses go out into the commercial market, they must abide by legal…

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HRC video exposes American extremists advocating abroad for anti-LGBT persecution (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released a new web video highlighting the role that American extremists have played in the passage of Russia’s draconian anti-LGBT laws. The video details how more than a dozen Americans, including National Organization for Marriage (NOM) President Brian Brown have traveled to Russia in the last year…

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