Yesterday saw not one, but two major wins for fairness and equality. Arizona’s Gov. Jan Brewer (R) vetoed a bill that would have allowed businesses to refuse service or employment based on “sincerely held” religious beliefs — designed to target LGBT people, but with much wider potential impact. And a federal judge in Texas ruled that the state’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples was unconstitutional.
The Arizona legislature passed a bill last Thursday that would allow businesses to refuse to serve or hire people based on “sincerely held” religious beliefs. The bill doesn’t mention LGBT people, but since its introduction, it has been clear that it was meant to target us. The bill could also be used to refuse services or employment to people of different genders, faiths, or other characteristics. Gov. Jan Brewer (R), a staunch conservative, has until Friday to decide whether to sign it. Here’s what you can do to try and stop her, regardless of where you live.
Felix Bermea, his partner Roy, and their four children have been harassed in their hometown of Gilbert, Arizona for almost three months. It started with epithets scrawled on their house and car, led to someone setting their bushes on fire, and has escalated to a home break in and vandalization of the children’s furniture. The children are afraid, and the parents are afraid for them. Now, the Family Equality Council wants to do the family a kindness and send them, free of charge, to the organization’s annual Family Week in Provincetown. But they need our help.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced new guidance related to rules that protect hospital patients’ right to choose their own visitors, including a visitor who is a same-sex partner. On a related note, HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration awarded $248,000 to the Fenway Institute in Boston, Mass., to create a
Bits and pieces from the info-stream: Politics and Law A follow-up to my story about the change to U.S. passport applications to say “Mother or Parent 1″ and “Father or Parent 2”: Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R-VA) introduced a new bill that would require federal agencies to use only “mother” and “father” in all official
There really was only one choice this week. If you’ve only read about this and haven’t seen it, I recommend that you take the time to do so. (And read the Open Letter to Parents by First Lady Michelle Obama as well.) I’m not doing a Weekly Political Roundup this week because the snow—and school
Nine-year old Christina-Taylor Green “was very interested in going” to see her state representative speak “because she wanted to learn more about government so she could help out in the future,” said her mother, Roxanna Green, according to MSNBC. Now the girl is dead, killed by the same man who shot U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords
Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Carl Levin said he expects the full Senate to take up Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DSDT) repeal in September, after the August recess. Former National Guard Lt. Dan Choi, one of the leading advocates for the repeal of DADT, has been officially discharged from the military. Choi and others were
First, something not specific to parenting but that affects LGBT families with and without children: The Bilerico Project and many other blogs are holding a blogswarm today asking readers to contact Speaker Nancy Pelosi at 202-225-4965 and request that she move the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to a floor vote. Further details are here. One
Schools and Youth The ACLU and and Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition are advocating on behalf of a Mississippi high school student who wants to go to the prom with her girlfriend. School officials have said she may not arrive with her girlfriend or wear a tux, and must leave if other students become “uncomfortable.” A
