- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told a group of LGBT leaders that both the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and a measure to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) will get votes this year, with one happening before Memorial Day.
- Tomorrow marks the first annual Harvey Milk Day in California. Equality California has details on events and actions around the state.
- Same-sex partners of state employees in Maryland are now eligible for the same benefits as opposite-sex spouses.
- Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty vetoed a bill that would have given same-sex couples the right to disposition of the remains of their partners. He said it was unnecessary because same-sex partners can draw up a living will.
- It’s now illegal for employers and landlords in Logan, Utah to discriminate against LGBT people.
Around the world:
- A gay couple in Malawi, Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga were convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison with hard labor—simply for being gay. The White House issued a statement condemning the ruling. Alan Duncan, the openly gay British international development minister, said Britain would make “urgent representations” to the Malawian government to review its laws on homosexuality. Questioning Transphobia reports, however (via Feministing), that Chimbalanga in fact identifies as female, making this a case of hidden transphobia as well as (on the face of it) homophobia.
- The president of Portugal, Anibal Cavaco Silva, said he will sign a bill to legalize marriage for same-sex couples.
- The government of Moscow has banned the city’s Pride march for the fifth year in a row. Gay activists say they will hold it anyway.
I’m not sure I’d call it hidden transphobia so much as saying that the transphobia is itself in the hiding transness in the story, or dismissing it outright.
Good clarification. I was trying to be succinct–but you’re right.