Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Via JMG: Doom And Gloom For LGBT Rights As The New Congress Takes Office Today
The Human Rights Campaign gloomily assesses the new Congress. As the new Congress is sworn in this week, there is no denying that pro-LGBT numbers have shrunk on Capitol Hill. A Human Rights Campaign analysis shows a pick-up of 53 House seats to anti-LGBT lawmakers as well as a 5 seat addition in the Senate. Not only do those opposing basic equality hold positions of power as House leaders and committee chairmen, their ranks have swollen to 225 – a solid majority of the chamber. This presents not just a roadblock to progress but also the threat of legislation that could be damaging to the community.HRC warns that in addition to blocking any progress on pending LGBT rights legislation, the GOP may attempt to roll back recent advances by cutting funding for the Hate Crimes Act or by attempting to block the recent edict allowing hospital visitation privileges.
Via JMG: NEW MEXICO: AG Claims State Can Recognize Out Of State Gay Marriages
New Mexico Attorney General Gary King has issued an opinion declaring that his state can legally recognize same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions. “While we cannot predict how a New Mexico court would rule on this issue, after review of the law in this area, it is our opinion that a same-sex marriage that is valid under the laws of the country or state where it was consummated would likewise be found valid in New Mexico,” King said. While 40 states explicitly bar gay marriage, King says that New Mexico’s law does “not explicitly address the recognition of same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions,” according to the release announcing the opinion.Currently only New York, Rhode Island and Maryland do not perform same-sex marriages, but do recognize them from elsewhere.
Via JMG: FLORIDA: Gov. Rick "Medicare Fraud" Scott Begins Tenure By Banning LGBT Rights
Florida Gov. Rick Scott, the teabagging founder and former CEO of a hospital group found guilty in the hugest Medicare scam in history, began his tenure today by issuing an executive order limiting the state's non-discrimination law to cases involving race, gender, creed, color and national origin. South Florida Gay News reports: "Governor Scott did not even include all of the classifications listed in the Florida Civil Rights Act -- let alone sexual orientation and gender identity," said Rand Hoch. As President and founder of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Hoch has become a familiar voice on behalf of equality issues in South Florida. He called Scott’s view of diversity “limited and very discouraging” according to an article by Steve Rothaus with the Miami Herald. By ignoring the categories of “handicap” or “marital status” in his new non-discrimination policy, Scott has actually managed to add discrimination to the Florida Government policies which was not previously there. Those two categories are protected by Florida Law under our Civil Rights Act and many advocacy groups have been working tirelessly to add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the language as well.RELATED: In 2002 the hospital group founded by Scott pleaded guilty to the largest Medicare fraud scheme in U.S. history, eventually paying an all-time record $2B in fines and settlements. Following a raid at his office by the feds, Scott was forced to resign, taking with him a mere $350M in stolen government money.
Via OutSports:
Gay, straight teenagers more alike than not
While this is not exactly sports-specific, a recap of new research contradicts some long-held beliefs about being a gay teenager. Basically, according to this excellent article by Jane Brody in the New York Times, gay teens aren’t much different than their straight counterparts.The good news is that recent research finds more similarities than differences among gay and straight adolescents. For example, studies in Salt Lake City by Lisa Diamond, an associate professor of psychology and gender studies at the University of Utah, found that young gays had as many friends and were just as popular and socially connected as other teenagers.
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Via Belirico: Were LGBT people really fine with Obama back in October?
I've stayed out of the "Obama totally sucks for not giving me my rights" camp, 
but this is ridiculous:
Continue reading "Were LGBT people really fine with Obama back in October?" »
but this is ridiculous:In an October survey conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, 64 percent of self-described LGBT community members said they approved or strongly approved of the way Obama was handling his job. While only 30 percent of all likely voters said the country was headed in the right direction (62 percent said the opposite), 46 percent of LGBT respondents answered "right direction" (49 percent said "wrong direction").The normal questions pop into my mind when it comes to LGBT polling (like, uh, where did they find their queers?), but there won't be any answers:
Continue reading "Were LGBT people really fine with Obama back in October?" »
ViaBelirico: Cindy Sheehan on DADT Repeal
In an op-ed written for Al-Jazeera, peace activist Cindy Sheehan lets loose with her opinion on the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. While she is supportive of LGBT rights, she echoes some of the opinions of Bilerico contributors who've worried that fighting for the right to kill brown people halfway around the world isn't exactly a way to advance human rights.
While I am a staunch advocate for equality of marriage and same-sex partnership, I cannot - as a peace activist - rejoice in the fact that now homosexuals can openly serve next to heterosexuals in one of the least socially responsible organisations that currently exists on earth: The US military.
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Championing equal rights is an issue of morality, war is immoral, and the US military is heading further and further down the path of immorality... The only difference being one can now admit their orientation without fear of official recrimination - a major boon for the equal rights movement! The capacity for increased carnage should not be celebrated as a victory!
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Don't equal human rights extend to those that the Empire has mislabeled as the "enemy"? Or do we now have to ignore the fact that innocent people are being slaughtered by the thousands?
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Don't equal human rights extend to those that the Empire has mislabeled as the "enemy"? Or do we now have to ignore the fact that innocent people are being slaughtered by the thousands?
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I want to bang my head against a wall when another young gay person commits suicide as a result despicable bullying, yet people within the same community have fought hard for the right to openly join the biggest bully ever! Don't go, don't kill!
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