Another week of political milestones:
- The Hate Crimes Bill, aka the Matthew Shepard Act, aka the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, passed the House. It would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the categories covered by federal hate crimes laws. The bill now moves to the Senate. President Obama has expressed his support.
- Could Stanford Law School professor and out lesbian Kathleen Sullivan be a contender for the U.S. Supreme Court?
- Is the GOP rethinking its stance on marriage equality? Or are they just desperate for support?
- A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows increasing support for marriage equality. Forty-nine percent said it should be legal versus 36 percent three years ago.
- The Alabama House voted to add sexual orientation as a protected category under the state’s hate crimes law. It now goes to the Senate.
- The Colorado House passed legislation to provide health insurance and other benefits to same-sex partners of Colorado state workers. It now goes to Gov. Bill Ritter, who is expected to sign it.
- The Denver Post has a rather good article on increased acceptance of transgender people.
- The borders of Iowa are apparently abuzz with out-of-state same-sex couples flocking to marry.
- The Maine Senate voted 20-15 in favor of a marriage equality bill. It now moves to the House of Representatives. It is unclear if Gov. James Baldacci would sign it. Louise over at Pam’s relates a conversation her husband had with the governor, which indicates he might.
- Next door, in New Hampshire, the Senate voted to approve a marriage equality bill. The House had approved a similar bill on March 26. The Senate version must now go back to the House for concurrence, and a vote will likely happen next week.
- The New Hampshire Senate, however, unanimously rejected a bill to include gender identity in the state’s anti-discrimination laws. Opponents of the bill said it would allow sexual predators into women’s bathrooms and allow them to plead they were confused about their gender. (Since when do being confused and being a predator mean the same thing?)
- Openly gay Suffolk County, New York, legislator Jon Cooper is exploring a run for U.S. Senate.
- Oregon clarified some parts of its domestic partner law. That’s good—but also points out why these new and undefined institutions like domestic partnerships and civil unions still fall short.
Around the world:
- Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza secretly signed legislation making it illegal to be gay.
- Legislators in Alberta, Canada introduced legislation to include gay rights in its human rights code. The province is the last to do so, and does it after court order.
- Could Guido Westerwelle become Germany’s first openly gay foreign minister?
- U.S. Rep. Jared Polis has been making some progress, albeit slowly, working with the Iraqi government to protect LGBT people in that country.
- Same-sex couples can marry in Sweden as of today. They still cannot marry in church ceremonies. Who needs a church? Party at IKEA, I say!
