BY CANDY PARKER

What did you miss this week in the world of LGBT news? Check out our Lesbian.com round-up and you’ll be ready to gather ’round the rainbow-colored water cooler to talk about five of the biggest, best and most interesting stories for June 15-21.

5 marriage equality cases get their day in court

On Monday, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals set August 6 as the date on which it will hear arguments for the five marriage equality cases pending before the court. The Cincinnati-seated court announced that arguments for cases in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee would take place at 1p.m. in what could be a historic day for marriage equality in those states.

Only the Michigan case pertains directly to the right of same-sex couples to marry. The others address issues related to birth and death certificates and state recognition for same-sex marriages performed elsewhere.

Obama announces executive order protecting LGBT workers

Speaking at a Democratic National Committee gala in New York City Tuesday, President Obama received a standing ovation after announcing an executive order which would bar federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT workers.

“We don’t benefit as a country or an economy – businesses don’t benefit if they’re leaving talent off the field,” Obama said. “And that’s why I’ve directed my staff to prepare for my signature, an executive order prohibiting discrimination by federal contractors on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity… Because in the United States of America, who you are and who you love shouldn’t be a fireable offense.”

Obama went on to encourage passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).

“It would be better, by the way, if Congress passed a more comprehensive law that didn’t just cover federal workers. And we need to keep working on that, so don’t take pressure off Congress,” Obama added.

Texas Governor skewered for comparing homosexuality to alcoholism

Comedians and late night talk show hosts continued to lambaste Texas Governor Rick Perry for comments he made the previous week before a gathering at San Francisco’s Commonwealth Club. Stephen Colbert, John Stewart and others chided Perry for comparing homosexuality to alcoholism.

“Whether or not you feel compelled to follow a particular lifestyle or not, you have the ability to decide not to do that,” said Perry. “I may have the genetic coding that I’m inclined to be an alcoholic, but I have the desire not to do that, and I look at the homosexual issue the same way.”

The latest to take aim at Perry’s remarks is Funny or Die who rebuked the governor in the best way possible – with uproarious hilarity – in the following NSFW video released this week.

Dutch “gay-only village” hoax goes viral

The gay rights group Pink Monday Foundation pulled the rainbow-colored wool over the eyes of international news outlets this week with the announcement of plans for the establishment of GayVillage, a purportedly “protected,” LGBT-only community to be constructed in the Netherlands.

The elaborate hoax gained credibility via a professional-looking website and promotional videos touting the development, as well endorsement by the mayor of Tilburg, the GayVillage’s announced location.

Pink Monday said that the outrage sparked by the stunt was exactly what they were hoping for. “The negative reactions we got are positive for Pink Monday. We are happy that people think a gay village is a crazy idea.”

News outlets were incensed by Mayor Peter Noordanus’ participation in the ruse, claiming that their credibility had been impacted. Noordanus said he had “underestimated the impact of my quote,” adding, “I did this with the aim of drawing attention to gay rights and not to trick the media and society.”

Presbyterian Church USA approves same-sex marriage

On Thursday, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) voted to amend its Book of Order to redefine marriage, replacing the phrase “a man and a woman” to “two persons.”

The 429-175 vote by leaders of the PCUSA launches a path toward gay marriage throughout the denominations 10,000 churches across the country. A majority of the churches 172 regional bodies must now approve the change before it becomes official, a process which could take up to a year.

“This is a glorious day for the church and for LGBT people who have been seeking full inclusion here for decades,” said Rev. Randy Bush, the co-moderator of the board for Covenant Network, a pro-LGBT church group.

In a separate vote, the PCUSA also voted to allow pastors to officiate same-sex marriages in states where marriage equality is the law. No further approvals are needed on that measure, made final by the group’s 371-238 vote.

The post LGBT week in review: Marriage equality advances, gay village hoax goes viral first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Former Latta, S.C., police chief Crystal Moore

BY CANDY PARKER
Lesbian.com

Until last Tuesday, Crystal Moore was the police chief in Latta, S.C. But then the openly lesbian, 22-year veteran of the department was fired by Mayor Earl Bullard, sparking controversy in the small southern town.

Many, including the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), believe Moore’s dismissal is a clear case of anti-LGBT discrimination.

Mayor Bullard asserts Moore was released as a result of seven reprimands she received. Critics of the firing note that the reprimands were suspicious in that all seven were received on one day and Moore had previously never received a reprimand. Further, it was noted that Bullard broke with protocol by not giving Moore a verbal or written warning for any wrongdoing, or discussing the matter with the council before taking action.

Adding to the doubts regarding the Mayor’s motive were comments caught on audio tape shortly before Moore’s firing in which Bullard shared the following views with Latta Town Councilman Jared Taylor:

“I would much rather have … and I will say this to anybody’s face … somebody who drank and drank too much taking care of my child than I had somebody whose lifestyle is questionable around children.

Because that ain’t the damn way it’s supposed to be. You know … you got people out there — I’m telling you buddy — I don’t agree with some of the lifestyles that I see portrayed and I don’t say anything because that is the way they want to live, but I am not going to let my child be around.

I’m not going to let two women stand up there and hold hands and let my child be aware of it. And I’m not going to see them do it with two men neither.

I’m not going to do it. Because that ain’t the way the world works.

Now, all these people showering down and saying ‘Oh it’s a different lifestyle they can have it.’ Okay, fine and dandy, but I don’t have to look at it and I don’t want my child around it.”

On Thursday, HRC issued a statement calling for Moore’s reinstatement as police chief.

“By all accounts, Chief Moore has served the people of Latta, S.C., well for over 20 years,” said HRC Vice President of Communications Fred Sainz. “On the surface this looks a like clear-cut case of employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. Without explicit federal or state employment protections, a decorated police chief is left to fend for herself.”

HRC said the case highlights the need for Congressional passage of ENDA. A statement on the organization’s website read, in part:

“There is no explicit federal law against sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination, and lesbian, gay and bisexual people lack protection under the laws of 29 states, including South Carolina, and transgender people are not explicitly protected by the laws of 33 states, also including South Carolina. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would address discrimination in the workplace by making it illegal to fire, refuse to hire or refuse to promote an employee based on the person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Public employees, such as Chief Moore, often have recourse under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, but ENDA is necessary to expand those protections to private employees and to place all employers on notice of their obligations to their employees.”

The post Dismissal of lesbian police chief sparks controversy first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) are circulating a letter among their Senate colleagues that calls on President Barack Obama to issue an executive order extending workplace nondiscrimination protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans.

“We are writing to urge you to fulfill the promise in your State of the Union address to make this a ‘year of action’ and build upon the momentum of 2013 by signing an executive order banning federal contractors from engaging in employment discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans. As you have said before, ‘now is the time to end this kind of discrimination, not enable it,'” reads the letter, which was provided to The Huffington Post.

Read more at Huffington Post Gay Voices

The post Congress urges Obama to sign ENDA executive order first appeared on Lesbian.com.

In a departure from previous public comments from the Obama administration, White House counselor John Podesta said on Friday an executive order barring LGBT discrimination among federal contractors is “under consideration.”

During an interview with Bloomberg News’ Al Hunt, Podesta made the remarks when asked if President Obama would issue a heavily sought-after executive order prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

“Well, what he said in the State of the Union was he was going to require federal contractors to pay a minimum wage of $10.10,” Podesta said. “The order that you’re talking about is under consideration at the White House. We’re looking at that.”

Read more at Washington Blade

Washington Blade is America’s leading gay news source.

The post ENDA executive order ‘under consideration’ first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Amid expectations that President Obama will issue a national call to address income equality in his upcoming State of the Union address, some advocates are asking him to take the opportunity to speak out against anti-LGBT workplace discrimination.

With no explicit federal language in place protecting LGBT workers from job discrimination, advocates are calling on Obama to incorporate as part of his speech a call to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and a pledge to sign an executive order prohibiting anti-LGBT discrimination among federal contractors.

The details of the speech are under wraps, but Obama already hinted earlier this month the address — which will be delivered Tuesday before a joint session of Congress — will seek to mobilize the country to ensure “the economy offers every American who works hard a fair shot at success.”

Read more at Washington Blade

Washington Blade is America’s leading gay news source.

The post Will State of the Union address ENDA? first appeared on Lesbian.com.

(Photo via DallasVoice.com)

BY MORGAN WELCH
dot429

Many studies have shown conclusively that the LGBT community as a whole does in fact need the protection of a federal nondiscrimination act; a report released on November 14, “A Broken Bargain for LGBT Workers of Color,” uncovers the reality that some workers need it even more than most.

The report, a collaboration between the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) and a dozen other civil rights organizations, compiles a number of statistics showing that that LGBT workers of Spanish decent are some of the most disadvantaged in the US. Poverty and unemployment rates are extremely high among that segment of the population due to multiple disadvantages; regardless of orientation, people of color in America often have the odds stacked against them, but being gay, bisexual, or transgender only adds to it. Transgender Latinos are most likely of all to be extremely poor; in the general population of the Latino community, 5 percent live in extreme poverty, while among transgender Latinos, it’s 28 percent.

The report follows its pages of statistics analysis with recommendations: pass legislation to eliminate or reduce educational barrier in schools, bias and discrimination in the workplace, and secure equal pay and benefits for LGBT people of color.

Read more at dot429.com

The post Report: ENDA’s advantage for queer POC first appeared on Lesbian.com.

For the first time in history, the U.S. Senate approved with bipartisan support a long sought piece of legislation that would bar employers from discriminating against or firing workers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

By a vote of 64-32, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act passed the Senate, marking the first time that either chamber of Congress has passed a version of the bill with protections for transgender workers.

A total of 10 Republicans voted in favor of the bill: Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). All 54 Democrats present voted in favor of the legislation.

Read more at Washington Blade

Washington Blade is America’s leading gay news source.

The post Senate passes ENDA in historic vote first appeared on Lesbian.com.

(Photo via DallasVoice.com)

BY CHRIS JOHNSON
Washington Blade

In another milestone moment in the pursuit of equal rights for LGBT Americans, the U.S. Senate voted by a narrow margin on Monday to bring to the floor the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. By a vote of 61-30, senators invoked cloture on the legislation as Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) presided. The vote enables up to 30 hours of debate and amendments before a vote for final passage, which is expected Wednesday.

Tico Almeida, president of Freedom to Work, drew attention to the bipartisan support the legislation obtained on the Senate floor. “The U.S. Senate has taken a historic step towards ensuring that gay and transgender Americans have the same workplace protections that give all Americans a fair shot to succeed on the job,” Almeida said. “Today’s strong bi-partisan vote total for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act reflects that majorities of Americans from both parties believe nobody should get fired or harassed just because of who they are or whom they love.”

Read more at Washington Blade

Washington Blade is America’s leading gay news source

The post Trans-inclusive ENDA advances in Senate first appeared on Lesbian.com.

WASHINGTON — The Employment Non-Discrimination Act could come up for a vote in the Senate as early as next week, according to the office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). ENDA would ban workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. When the Senate convened Monday afternoon, Reid formally announced his plans to bring up the legislation during the current work period, which ends the week before Thanksgiving. Reid has long been a supporter of ENDA, cosponsoring it as early as 1997.

“I thank Majority Leader Reid for committing to bring ENDA to the floor this work period,” Merkley said in a statement to The Huffington Post. “Americans understand that it’s time to make sure our LGBT friends and family are treated fairly and have the same opportunities. Now it’s time for our laws to catch up. People should be judged at work on their ability to do the job, period.” The bill has been reintroduced in several Congresses and has gotten some hearings, but it hasn’t had a vote on the House or Senate floor since November 2007.

Read more at Huffington Post Gay Voices

The post Senator Harry Reid to bring ENDA up for vote first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Despite the ongoing stalemate in Congress in the second week of a government shutdown, advocates say they’re undaunted in their efforts to pass pro-LGBT legislation.

LGBT rights supporters say they remain engaged on a high-priority bill, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and assert plans for a vote in the Senate this fall remain unchanged.

Christian Berle, legislative director for Freedom to Work, said he doesn’t expect the shutdown to have any impact on the timing of an ENDA vote.

Read more at Washington Blade

Washington Blade is America’s leading gay news source.

The post ENDA activists continue Capitol Hill efforts despite shutdown first appeared on Lesbian.com.