Open thread with updates
February 28, 2017
Community/Meta Transgender Rights
This is an open thread. We’ll post any updates as news breaks.
A district court in Pennsylvania has ruled in favor of transgender students challenging a discriminatory school board policy. One of the plaintiffs is the sister of one of President Trump’s inauguration singers.
Thanks to Equality Case Files for these filings
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9 Comments
1.
VIRick | February 28, 2017 at 11:59 am
Colorado: Legislative Bill to Ban Conversion Therapy for Minors
Activists in Colorado are trying to get a bill passed that bans gay conversion therapy for minors. Conversion therapy refers to treatments that aim to change someone’s sexual orientation. Common techniques are prayer, visualization, and group pressure, but have also historically included electric shocks to the genitals, using nausea-inducing drugs while watching gay porn, chemical castration, and lobotomies.
This is the third year that Colorado has attempted to pass such a ban. In 2015 and 2016, the bill received support in the state house but was stopped by the Republican state senate.
California, Oregon, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, and DC are currently the only jurisdictions in the USA banning the practice.
http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2017/02/colorado-tries…
2.
VIRick | February 28, 2017 at 12:10 pm
New Orleans Held a ‘Reverse Parade’ to Prove We’re Never Going Back
The Trump administration has already begun chipping away at LGBTQ rights with last week’s executive order rescinding protections for trans youth, but at least one American city is taking a stand against it.
New Orleans Tourism is pushing back in a way only New Orleans can: by throwing a parade! Hundreds of people gathered on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter during Mardi Gras for a “reverse parade” to show that New Orleans is a city that welcomes everyone and where ya’ll truly does mean all.
The video, which features people of all ages, races, genders, and orientations, is more than just another travel commercial. It offers us a much-needed reminder that, despite the current political climate in America, we’re never going back. The advancements made in LGBTQ rights under the Obama administration are here to stay and we’re committed to making sure of that.
Watch a clip from the New Orleans Tourism video here:
http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2017/02/new-orleans-he…
3.
VIRick | February 28, 2017 at 12:18 pm
Idaho: Democratic Legislator Rebuked by Asshat Republicans
Boise ID — On Monday, 27 February 2017, an Idaho Democratic lawmaker sparked objections from Republican members for using an anti-motorcycling profiling bill to promote amending the state’s Human Rights Act. Rep. John McCrostie of Boise praised the proposal for not allowing discrimination based on a certain lifestyle, adding that no one should be profiled if they are gay or a biker.
McCrostie’s argument caused vocal protest from lawmakers who felt he violated House floor rules. This caused House Speaker Scott Bedke to warn Democrats to keep their debate focused on the proposed legislation.
For more than a decade, Democrats have unsuccessfully pushed the Legislature to add four words — sexual orientation and gender identity — to the Idaho Human Rights Act. Currently, the law only bans workplace and housing discrimination based on race, gender, or religion.
http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2017/02/idaho-democrat…
4.
VIRick | February 28, 2017 at 1:47 pm
Italy: Court Recognizes Gay Parents for First Time
A landmark court ruling in Italy recognizes a gay couple as the legal parents of their child, born to a surrogate. The Court of Appeal in the city of Trento has ruled that both men could be named as fathers to the child. Neither the surrogate mother in Canada, nor the fathers of the child, conceived by artificial insemination, have been identified.
According to the court judges, parental relationships are not solely defined by a biological link. “On the contrary, one must consider the importance of parental responsibility, which is manifested in the conscious decision to raise and care for the child,” the panel wrote.
The 23 February 2017 ruling was described as having “great significance” as it is the first time an Italian court has ruled that a child could legally be recognized as having two fathers. “This is a recognition of full parenthood, in other words, not adoption,” the couple’s lawyer, Alexander Schuster said of the ruling. “It has recognized for the first time a foreign provision that gives the second father the status of a parent.”
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/02/28/italian-cour…
5.
davepCA | February 28, 2017 at 1:58 pm
Wow, was not expecting this from Italy. This is very good news!
6.
VIRick | February 28, 2017 at 2:43 pm
It may be significant that Trento is the most "un-Italian" city in Italy, located way up in the northeastern part of the country, and is the capital of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, the high Alpine region which was part of Austria between 1814-1918. Most of the inhabitants in the surrounding area still speak German and have German names, while the rural areas, in particular, still look like Tyrolean Austria, complete with all the excessive, decorative "schmaltz," situated just on the other side of the mountain passes.
7.
allan120102 | February 28, 2017 at 2:24 pm
Chihuahua times is up. The first ban to be struck by the resolution system. Sinaloa you are the next one.
Derived from the jurisprudence obtained by the LGBTTTI organizations in Chihuahua, the State Congress is obliged to amend the civil code and include equal marriage.
Hiram González, representative of the Humanistic Center for Studies Related to Sexual Orientation, reported that the appeal for review of jurisprudence has already been requested in federal courts and submitted to Congress for the amendment of the civil code.
Following the Court's order, the local Congress has 90 days to reform the civil code and establish a precedent at the national level or to remain as a discriminatory and homophobic legislative power that does not comply with the Court's regulations.
This jurisprudence was obtained after five amparos brought before the courts, which determined unconstitutional the civil code in Chihuahua considering marriage only for a man and a woman.
"There is no reverse, it is the first congress that falls and from here everyone will fall, because our rights did not fit in their democracy, we had to conquer it in the courts," said activists for the rights of the LGBTTTI community.
Asked by the coordinator of the PAN, Miguel La Torre, to prioritize a public consultation to legislate on this matter, González said that the legislative power must obey the mandate of the Court, since no power should be above what Marks the law. http://entrelineas.com.mx/local/no-hay-reversa-co…
8.
VIRick | February 28, 2017 at 6:25 pm
Perú: Plan for Filing "Action of Unconstitutionality" to Force De-Facto Unions
Se inicia recolección de firmas para conseguir unión de hecho entre personas del mismo sexo vía un "Acción de Inconstitucionalidad" ante el Tribunal Constitucional. El “Instituto Político para la Libertad Perú” y la asociación “Todos Tenemos Derechos” presentó ayer, 15 de febrero 2017, la iniciativa “Derechos para Todos," que busca que en el país cualquier persona, sin importar su sexo u orientación sexual, pueda establecer una unión de hecho. Sus voceros, Pablo Sánchez (TTD) y Yesenia Alvarez (IPL), convocaron a líderes, académicos, activistas, jóvenes, y organizaciones de la sociedad civil a sumarse a la recolección de firmas para poder presentar una acción de inconstitucionalidad a favor de esta propuesta.
Mediante la campaña Derechos para Todos, varias organizaciones plantean presentar una acción de inconstitucionalidad por omisión para suprimir aquellas palabras del artículo 326 del Código Civil y el artículo 1 de la Ley 30007 que impiden que cualquier pareja, independientemente de su orientación sexual, pueda constituir una unión estable de hecho con efectos similares a los del matrimonio. Según sus voceros, la redacción actual de ambos artículos discrimina, delimita, y viola los derechos constitucionales de identidad, libre desarrollo de la personalidad, igualdad, y propiedad de las parejas homosexuales.
De acuerdo al equipo legal de TTD, el siguiente paso es recolectar 5,000 firmas, cantidad mínima que exige el Código Procesal Constitucional para presentar una acción de inconstitucionalidad. Para lograrlo ambas organizaciones han invitado a toda la sociedad civil a que participen y sean protagonistas de esta acción legal histórica.
http://blogdelimagay.blogspot.pe/
The collection of signatures has begun in order to obtain de-facto unions for same-sex couples via an "Action of Unconstitutionality" filed before the Tribunal Constitucional. The "Political Institute for Freedom Peru" and the "We All Have Rights" association presented yesterday, 15 February 2017, the "Rights for All" initiative, which seeks to allow anyone, regardless of their sex or sexual orientation, to establish a de-facto union. Their spokespersons, Pablo Sánchez (TTD) and Yesenia Alvarez (IPL), called on leaders, academics, activists, youth, and civil society organizations to join in the collection of signatures in order to present an "Action of Unconstitutionality" in favor of this proposal.
Through the "Rights for All" campaign, several organizations are proposing to file an "Action of Unconstitutionality" by omission to annul the words of Article 326 of the Civil Code and Article 1 of Law 30007 which prevent couples, regardless of their sexual orientation, to constitute a stable union, with effects similar to those of marriage. According to these spokespersons, the current wording of both articles discriminates, delimits, and violates the constitutional rights of identity, free development of personality, equality, and autonomy of same-sex couples.
According to the legal team of TTD, the next step is to collect 5,000 signatures, a minimum amount required by the Constitutional Procedural Code to file an "Action of Unconstitutionality." To achieve this, both organizations have invited all of civil society to participate and be protagonists in this historic legal action.
9.
jpmassar | March 1, 2017 at 8:59 am
Same-sex couples in Finland can officially get married in Finland from today (1 March). http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/victory-gay-co…