Steve Lee, Editor

HRC calls on Congress to reject the American Health Care Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Thursday, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) sent a letter opposing the American Health Care Act (AHCA) to the Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR), the Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce; Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce; Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX), the…

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Utah Legislature passes bill repealing anti-LGBT state public education law

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Today, the Utah Legislature passed a bill repealing a state law prohibiting supportive discussions of “homosexuality” in public and charter school curricula and classrooms. The legislation passed with bipartisan support by a 27-1 vote in the Senate and a 68- 1 vote in the House. The bill now goes to…

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Affordable Housing Funding Bill moves forward

SACRAMENTO, Calif., – The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee today approved Assembly Bill (AB) 71, a measure authored by Assemblymember David Chiu (D – San Francisco) that will create an ongoing, permanent state funding source for affordable housing by eliminating the state mortgage interest deduction on vacation homes. The bill received aye votes from…

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40 organizations protest in front of White House on International Women’s Day

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today,  the National LGBTQ Task Force joined 40 national organizations in taking part in a protest in front of the White House against President Donald Trump’s global gag rule. Trump’s global gag rule, one of the first actions he took as president, is a massive expansion  of a failed policy that prohibits non-U.S. organizations…

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World Outgames Miami announces three additional plenary speakers for its Global Conference on Human Rights

MIAMI, Fla. – World OutGames Miami 2017, a 10-day multi-sport, human rights and cultural event to be held May 26 through June 4, has announced Amini Fonua, Surat-Shaan Knan and Debbie Wasserman Schultz as plenary speakers for its Global Conference on Human Rights. The three-day conference (May 26-29) will feature as many as 25 notable…

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On International Women’s Day UNAIDS is urging countries to stop 1 million women and girls from becoming infected with HIV every year

GENEVA— Today, on International Women’s Day UNAIDS has released a new report which shows that there is an urgent need to scale up HIV prevention and treatment services for women and girls. The report, When women lead, change happens, shows that globally in 2015, there were 18.6 million women and girls living with HIV, 1…

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Kentucky Legislature sends anti-LGBTQ SB 17 to governor’s desk

FRANKFORT, Kentucky —  An anti-LGBT bill has passed the Kentucky House in an 81 to 8 vote after passing through the Senate last month. SB 17, is a bill that would, among other things, allow student groups at colleges, universities, and high schools to discriminate against LGBTQ students. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has called…

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Lambda LitFest Los Angeles is this week

The first annual Lambda LitFest Los Angeles is a celebration of contemporary voices honoring and expanding on the rich, diverse tradition of LGBTQ writers and readers in the Southland. Featured speakers include:   Diane Anderson-Minshall・Noel Alumit・Luis Alfaro Ryka Aoki・Tre’vell Anderson・Lucy Bledsoe Susie Bright・Melissa Chadburn・Bernard Cooper D’Lo・Zachary Drucker・Alex Espinoza・Bryan Fuller Julie Goldman・Marga Gomez・Ian Harvie Our Lady J・Cheryl…

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Assemblymember Gloria names San Diego City Attorney Mara W. Elliott as Woman of the Year

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – At a ceremony held in the California State Capitol Monday, California State Assemblymember Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) named San Diego City Attorney Mara W. Elliott as the 2017 Woman of the Year for the 78th Assembly District. “I believe City Attorney Mara Elliott epitomizes everything the Assembly seeks to recognize in its…

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