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Equality Case Timeline
Equality on Trial's Case Timeline is the go-to place to find thorough, up-to-date information on the myriad of marriage equality lawsuits taking place across the US.
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1.
VIRick | June 18, 2023 at 8:29 pm
Moldova: First LGBT Pride Parade without Violence or Police Protection
On 18 June 2023, activists from Moldova's LGBT community held a Pride March that for the first time needed no heavy police cordons to protect them from protesters largely linked to the Orthodox Church.
The peaceful event, with hundreds strolling through the center of the capital, Chisinau, signaled a change in social attitudes, although public opposition to equal rights for gays still runs high in many other ex-Soviet states.
Since the 2020 election of pro-European President Maia Sandu, Moldova has set a foreign policy goal of joining the European Union — a pledge underscored by an outdoor public assembly last month attended by thousands. "Judging from the march, European Moldova is progressively moving towards a normal society of people with diverse views," Alexei Marcicov of the event's organizer, GenderDoc-M, told Reuters.
Moldova lies between Ukraine and European Union member Romania and about 90% of its population professes ties to one of two branches of the Orthodox Church, one linked to Russia, the other to Romania.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/lgbt-activis…
2.
VIRick | June 18, 2023 at 8:53 pm
Austria: Police Thwart Attack on Vienna Pride Parade
The head of Austria’s Directorate of State Security and Intelligence told reporters that a planned attack against the Vienna Pride Parade just prior to its start on 17 June 2023 was prevented by the country’s Cobra special forces. During a press conference, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner stated: “Through a successful and timely intervention, we were able to defuse the moment of danger for Vienna Pride and ensure the safety of all participants.”
The three suspects — Austrian citizens with Bosnian and Chechen roots, young men aged 14, 17, and 20 who had sympathized with the Islamic State militant group — were arrested on suspicion of planning to attack the parade prior to its start. The Vienna Pride Parade (Regenbogenparade), held to celebrate LGBTQ rights, attracted around 300,000 people, according to the Austrian Directorate of State Security and Intelligence.
Haijawi-Pirchner told reporters that Austrian police waited until today, 18 June 2023, to reveal details of the planned attack, and thus after the parade, so as to ensure that participants did not feel anxious.
https://www.washingtonblade.com/2023/06/18/austri…
One can watch the Regenbogenparade here:
https://youtu.be/0gV8AA4fNHo
I enjoyed how the rainbow trams of the Wienerlinien were incorporated into the festivities. And notice the glory of monumental Vienna in the background. And some of the slogans: Liebe queer durch den Kräutergarten (Literally: Love queer through the herb-garden, but with a coyly humorous, ethnically-flavored double-meaning to the last word).
3.
ianbirmingham | June 19, 2023 at 10:06 am
Chinese diplomat claims trans people are a ‘deformity’
The head of the Chinese consulate in Osaka, Japan posted an abhorrent tweet where he called trans people a “deformity” and said LGBTQ+ rights will “collapse” Westernised civilisation.
On Wednesday (14 June), the consul general of the People’s Republic of China in Osaka, Xue Jian, tweeted: “I don’t mean to discriminate against sexual minorities, but tampering with gender is a deformity, not the evolution of human civilisation.
“Now it is clear that the absolute minority is effectively forcing us, the absolute majority.
“It goes against the basics of majority democracy that the West has long advocated.”
“Ultimately, this is the beginning of the collapse of the Western-style view of civilisation that has swept the world over the last several hundred years,” Xue Jian added.
The tweet comes as pressure ramps up on Japan expand rights for the LGBTQ+ community in the country, as it remains the only G7 nation to not have legalised same-sex marriage.
According to Equaldex data, around 69 per cent of Japan’s population supports same-sex marriage.
https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/17/china-xue-…
4.
ianbirmingham | June 20, 2023 at 6:04 am
Estonia legalizes same-sex marriage: New law takes effect January 1, 2024
"I'm proud of my country. We're building a society where everyone's rights are respected and people can love freely," Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas wrote on Twitter.
According to the Estonian public broadcaster ERR, 55 members of parliament voted in favor of the measure, while 34 voted against.
A survey published last month by the polling firm Turu-uuringute AS for the Estonian Human Rights Centre found 53% of Estonians support marriage equality, up from 47% in 2021.
https://www.dw.com/en/estonia-legalizes-same-sex-…
5.
VIRick | June 20, 2023 at 11:11 am
Etonia Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage, Nation #35
On 20 June 2023, in the Riigikogu, the Estonian government has survived a vote of no confidence tied to the amendments to the Family Law Act and its related legislation granting same-sex couples the legal right to marry. The amendments passed, with 55 members of the Riigikogu (Parliament) voting in favor of the measure, while 34 voted against.
It is proposed that the institution of marriage, as defined by Family Law, be modified so that any two natural persons of legal age, regardless of gender, may marry. The words "man and woman" will be replaced with the words "two natural persons." The 85 amendments to the Family Law Act and other legislation which will introduce same-sex marriage contracts also include the establishment of the implementing acts for the (2014) Registered Partnership Act.
Going forward, alongside marriage, people will continue to enjoy the right to enter into a registered partnership. Such a partnership guarantees the right of registered spouses to have a say in decisions pertaining to their partner and to obtain support and benefits as needed. Couples who enter into a registered partnership will also be able to convert their status to marriage in a simplified procedure, should they ever wish to do so. The proposal also clarifies the Family Law Act's regulation of parenthood with regard to the adoption rights of same-sex couples.
The act is planned to enter into force on 1 January 2024. The amendments required for entries to be made with regard to registered partnerships contracted between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2023, prior to the remaining amendments taking effect, will enter into force on 1 October 2023.
https://news.err.ee/1609012469/historic-decision-…
Thus, same-sex registered partnerships will be fully legalized as from 1 October 2023., while same-sex marriage will be fully legalized as from 1 January 2024.
6.
scream4ever | June 20, 2023 at 8:52 pm
I love how quick they were to approve after announcing this was a priority. The Czech Republic's Chamber of Deputies is slated to vote on their bill on June 29, and they will likely be #36.
7.
ianbirmingham | June 20, 2023 at 9:08 am
Florida: Wilton Manors Stonewall Parade & Street Festival draws 40,000 participants
Scott Newton, the mayor of Wilton Manors, known as the unofficial capital of the LGBT community in South Florida, declared it a success. “Everything went awesome,” he said. “We had a little rain but that wouldn’t damper our spirits. We had no incidents, no complaints filed with the city.”
For her 16th birthday, Karelegih Ollivierre wanted to attend the Stonewall Pride Parade. She attended drag queen shows and Pride events as a child, and so to her it was a celebration. Her actual birthday was days earlier, so the festival seemed like perfect timing.
Karelegih was there with her mom, Jocelyn, and 2-year-old brother, Austin, who sat in a stroller with rainbow pinwheels perched on top of his head. Karelegih Ollivierre was one of the people at the Wilton Manors parade under the age of 18, and her little brother was one of only a couple of toddlers present.
This was the family’s first time at the Stonewall parade, but they’ve lived in nearby Oakland Park for about three years.
“I grew up with gay pride every year,” their mother, Jocelyn Ollivierre, said. “Every year it was just the thing to do. That’s just how I was raised. I wanted that for my kids.”
Patrick Gevas, a spokesman for Miami Beach Pride, said Monday he predicts events going forward will be “getting back to the roots where pride is a protest. You cannot legislate us back into the closet. We are here to stay, and we will make our voices heard. We are not running scared.”
https://archive.ph/7hKOu
8.
ianbirmingham | June 20, 2023 at 1:53 pm
Federal judge strikes down Arkansas’ first-in-the-nation ban on gender-affirming care for children as unconstitutional
U.S. District Judge Jay Moody issued a permanent injunction against the Arkansas law, which would have prohibited doctors from providing gender-affirming hormone treatment, puberty blockers or surgery to anyone under 18.
Arkansas’ law, which Moody temporarily blocked in 2021, also would have prohibited doctors from referring patients elsewhere for such care.
In his order, Moody ruled that the prohibition violated the due process and equal protection rights of transgender youth and families. He said the law also violated the First Amendment rights of medical providers by prohibiting them from referring patients elsewhere.
“Rather than protecting children or safeguarding medical ethics, the evidence showed that the prohibited medical care improves the mental health and well-being of patients and that, by prohibiting it, the state undermined the interests it claims to be advancing,” Moody wrote in his ruling. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscou…
https://apnews.com/article/politics-arkansas-gend…
9.
ianbirmingham | June 20, 2023 at 2:17 pm
For context, this is the law that Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson vetoed, only to have the Arkansas Legislature override his veto.
10.
ianbirmingham | June 20, 2023 at 2:22 pm
Vatican document highlights need for concrete steps for women, 'radical inclusion' of LGBTQ+
An unprecedented global canvassing of Catholics has called for the church to take concrete steps to promote women to decision-making roles, for a “radical inclusion” of the LGBTQ+ community and for new accountability measures to check how bishops exercise authority.
The Vatican on Tuesday released the synthesis of a two-year consultation process, publishing a working document that will form the basis of discussion for a big meeting of bishops and laypeople in October. The synod, as it is known, is a key priority of Pope Francis, reflecting his vision of a church that is more about the faithful rank-and-file than its priests.
https://www.local10.com/news/2023/06/20/vatican-d…
11.
ianbirmingham | June 21, 2023 at 6:19 am
Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court
In early July 2008, Samuel Alito stood on a riverbank in a remote corner of Alaska. The Supreme Court justice was on vacation at a luxury fishing lodge that charged more than $1,000 a day, and after catching a king salmon nearly the size of his leg, Alito posed for a picture. To his left, a man stood beaming: Paul Singer, a hedge fund billionaire who has repeatedly asked the Supreme Court to rule in his favor in high-stakes business disputes.
Singer was more than a fellow angler. He flew Alito to Alaska on a private jet. If the justice chartered the plane himself, the cost could have exceeded $100,000 one way.
In the years that followed, Singer’s hedge fund came before the court at least 10 times in cases where his role was often covered by the legal press and mainstream media. In 2014, the court agreed to resolve a key issue in a decade-long battle between Singer’s hedge fund and the nation of Argentina. Alito did not recuse himself from the case and voted with the 7-1 majority in Singer’s favor. The hedge fund was ultimately paid $2.4 billion.
Alito did not report the 2008 fishing trip on his annual financial disclosures. By failing to disclose the private jet flight Singer provided, Alito appears to have violated a federal law that requires justices to disclose most gifts, according to ethics law experts.
Experts said they could not identify an instance of a justice ruling on a case after receiving an expensive gift paid for by one of the parties.
https://www.propublica.org/article/samuel-alito-l…
12.
ianbirmingham | June 21, 2023 at 7:53 am
Former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia Is Also Implicated
The Alito trip was not Arkley’s first time covering a Supreme Court justice’s travel to Alaska.
In June 2005, Arkley flew Scalia on his private jet to Kodiak Island, Alaska, two of Arkley’s former pilots told ProPublica. Arkley had paid to rent out a remote fishing lodge that cost $3,200 a week per person, according to the lodge’s owner, Martha Sikes.
Snapshots from the trip, found in the justice’s papers at Harvard Law School, capture Scalia knee-deep in a river as he fights to reel in a fish.
Scalia did not report the trip on his annual filing, another apparent violation of the law, according to ethics law experts. Scalia’s travels briefly drew scrutiny in 2016 after he died while staying at the hunting ranch of a Texas businessman. Scalia had a pattern of disclosing trips to deliver lectures while not mentioning hunting excursions he took to nearby locales hosted by local attorneys and businessmen, according to a research paper published after his death.
13.
ianbirmingham | June 21, 2023 at 8:16 am
I was the first centre-right leader in the world to take the initiative and pass gay marriage, writes David Cameron. It is one of the achievements of which I am proudest
It was only through long conversations with colleagues, friends and my wife, Samantha, that I became convinced that denying gay couples the ability to get married made them feel like their love for one another counted for less than straight couples’.
I’ll never forget being at a White House reception with Obama shortly after our bill passed. One of his most prominent supporters joked with me that I had to persuade him to go for it. I joked, “So, you want this Conservative to persuade that Democrat to legalise gay marriage?” In 2015 America followed our lead. Every year, more and more countries follow suit.
My children, who were very young when the bill passed but are teenagers now, are so used to having friends of different sexualities that they wouldn’t think twice if a woman introduced her wife or a man introduced his husband. I am so proud they are growing up in a country where they are able to be who they want to be and share their lives with whoever they love. It is another reason to be proud to be British.
https://archive.is/9X80V
14.
ianbirmingham | June 21, 2023 at 1:17 pm
Wyoming: Cis sorority girls, butthurt over transgender woman, file federal case
Sorority rules allow a transgender woman to belong to its University of Wyoming chapter, and a court can't interfere with that, a sorority being sued over the matter says in seeking the lawsuit’s dismissal.
“The central issue in this case is simple: do the plaintiffs have a legal right to be in a sorority that excludes transgender women? They do not,” the motion to dismiss reads.
The policy of Kappa Kappa Gamma since 2015 has been to allow the sorority's more than 145 chapters to accept transgender women. The policy mirrors those of the 25 other sororities in the National Panhellenic Conference, the umbrella organization for sororities in the U.S. and Canada, according to the Kappa Kappa Gamma filing.
The sorority sisters opposed to [transgender woman Artemis] Langford's induction could presumably change the policy if most sorority members shared their view, or they could resign if “a position of inclusion is too offensive to their personal values,” the sorority's motion to dismiss says.
https://news.yahoo.com/sorority-says-rules-allow-…
15.
ianbirmingham | June 21, 2023 at 2:05 pm
Trumpanzee who tased a Capitol Hill cop will be caged for 12-1/2 years
Daniel “D.J.” Rodriguez yelled, “Trump won!” as he was led out of the courtroom where U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson sentenced him to 12 years and seven months behind bars for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty to four felony charges, including conspiracy and assaulting a law enforcement officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon. He entered the guilty plea about two weeks before his trial was scheduled to start in Washington, D.C.
In the days leading up to Jan. 6, Rodriguez spewed violent rhetoric in a Telegram group chat called “PATRIOTS 45 MAGA Gang.”
“There will be blood. Welcome to the revolution,” Rodriguez wrote a day before the riot.
More than 1,000 Trumpanzees have been charged with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6 riot. Over 700 of them have pleaded guilty or been convicted after trials. And approximately 550 of them have been sentenced, with over half receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from seven days to 18 years.
https://news.yahoo.com/capitol-rioter-shocked-pol…
16.
VIRick | June 21, 2023 at 7:27 pm
Florida: Medicaid Ban on Gender-Affirming Healthcare Ruled Unconstitutional
In "Dekker v. Weida," a federal judge struck down Florida’s prohibition on Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming healthcare, the second decision to upend restrictions put into place in Florida at the urging of Gov. DeSantis (R).
On 21 June 2023, US District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled against the ban by using some of the same conclusions and language that he used in another recent preliminary injunction decision where he determined three Florida transgender minors could receive “puberty blockers” and other types of gender-affirming care despite a state-enacted prohibition on such treatment for those under the age of 18. In both rulings, Hinkle has stated that “gender identity is real. The record makes this clear.”
This latest decision, however, is not just limited to those who brought a lawsuit against the state. It applies to the mammoth, multibillion-dollar safety net health care program that is paid for by a mix of state and federal tax dollars. Those who filed the initial legal challenge estimated that up to 9,000 Medicaid enrollees in Florida are transgender.
“There is no rational basis for a state to categorically ban these treatments or exclude them from the state’s Medicaid coverage,” stated Hinkle, who was first appointed to the court by former President Bill Clinton.
Hinkle ruled that the ban on Medicaid paying for hormone therapy or “puberty blockers” was an equal protection violation and went against federal Medicaid law, as well as the Affordable Care Act. He called the restrictions “purposeful” discrimination against transgender individuals and not a “legitimate state interest.” The lawsuit was brought against the state on behalf of two transgender adult men and the families of two transgender minors.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/federal-judge-k…
17.
VIRick | June 21, 2023 at 10:52 pm
Czech Republic: Senate Conference on Same-Sex Marriage and Parenting
Per LGBT Marriage News:
On 28 June 2023, the Czech Senate will hold a conference on LGBT marriage and parenting, one that will be opened with speeches by Czech President Petr Pavel and Irish Premier Leo Varadkar.
https://twitter.com/JsmeFer/status/16714139998359…
18.
scream4ever | June 22, 2023 at 8:07 am
The Chamber of Deputies is slated to vote on the bill the very next day too.
19.
ianbirmingham | June 22, 2023 at 9:43 am
'Moms For Liberty' Hate Group's Newsletter Literally Quotes Adolf Hitler
The Hamilton County chapter of Moms for Liberty, a national organization recently listed as an "extremist group" by a civil rights watchdog, apologized Thursday morning after it launched a newsletter called "The Parent Brigade" Wednesday that featured a quote from Adolf Hitler on its front cover.
The original pages of the newsletter, which were posted on the group's Facebook page Wednesday night, showed below The Parent Brigade's masthead a quote Hitler used at a Nazi rally in 1935.
Page 4 of the Parent Brigade included a mention of Carmel High School. The newsletter decried the school's recent $10,000 award from the "It Gets Better Project," a nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to uplift, empower and connect LGBTQ youth around the globe.
Money awarded to Carmel High School will be used to produce community-wide Pride events at the Carmel Pride festival happening June 25 at Carter Green.
The Parent Brigade newsletter also called out sponsors of Carmel Pride, labeling the event "perversion."
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2023/06/21/mo…
20.
VIRick | June 23, 2023 at 2:12 pm
Florida: Preliminary Injunction Granted against Anti-Drag Law
Per Chris Geidner:
On 23 June 2023, a federal judge ruled that Florida is barred from enforcing the state's new anti-drag law (SB 1438), granting a preliminary injunction in the case brought against the state by the Hamburger Mary's franchise in Orlando.
https://twitter.com/chrisgeidner/status/167230861…
The full ruling in the case, "HM Florida-ORL, LLC v. Griffin," filed in the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division, is here:
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscou…
21.
ianbirmingham | June 23, 2023 at 2:54 pm
Florida: Federal Judge orders preliminary injunction against new anti-drag law
US District Judge Gregory Presnell concluded that the law’s restrictions on and definitions of “adult live performance” — codified as § 827.11 — are “dangerously susceptible to standardless, overbroad enforcement which could sweep up substantial protected speech.”
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscou…
While the state claimed the law aims to “protect children” by banning children from covered performances, Presnell cut through that claim quickly and throughout his 24-page opinion. From the opening paragraph, Presnell, an 80-year-old Clinton appointee, called out the state of Florida's actions as actually being an attempt "to suppress the speech of drag queen performers.”
https://www.lawdork.com/p/florida-anti-drag-law-l…
22.
VIRick | June 23, 2023 at 4:30 pm
Mexico's First Transgender "Lucha Libre" Wrestling Star
Beautician by day, Wendy Martínez, the woman behind the "Miss Gaviota" persona, is proud to call herself Mexico's first transgender "lucha libre" wrestling star.
In the video, note the insidious "Hay puto" chant during the match, just as in futbol, while she "fights" everyone, both in and out of the ring.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/peopleandplaces/m…
Of course, the "fight" inside the ring is all performance art. The real fight takes place when dealing with the rest of her life, for example, when she has to remove the heavy "lucha libre" mascara before venturing out onto the street after the show is over.
23.
VIRick | June 23, 2023 at 5:01 pm
Tennessee: Transgender Bid to Change Sex Designation on Birth Certificates Dismissed
On 22 June 2023, a federal judge in Nashville dismissed a lawsuit brought by a group of Tennessee-born transgender plaintiffs hoping to compel the state to let them change the sex designations on their birth certificates. The plaintiffs had sought to overturn a 1977 law that generally prohibits such changes. They said it unconstitutionally discriminates against transgender people and that the sex designation on their certificates is inaccurate because it does not reflect their gender identities.
The lawsuit also argued that the policy is harmful, saying that when transgender people show their birth certificates for identification, the mismatch between the documents and their gender identities exposes them to possible harassment and even violence.
U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson wrote in his decision to dismiss that while there are varying definitions of “sex,” the term “has a very narrow and specific meaning” for the purpose of birth certificates: “external genitalia at the time of birth.” Based on that limited definition, the designation does not later become inaccurate “when it is eventually understood to diverge from the transgender person’s gender identity,” Richardson said.
When the suit was filed in 2019, Tennessee was one of only three states that did not allow transgender people to change the sex designation on their birth certificates. Since then, federal courts in the other two, Kansas and Ohio, have found such policy unconstitutional. Meanwhile, according to Lambda Legal, states including Montana, North Dakota, and Oklahoma have adopted policy like that of Tennessee.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/judge-rejects-t…
24.
VIRick | June 23, 2023 at 7:35 pm
Panamá: Marriage Equality Court Cases Headed to CIDH on Appeal
Per LGBT Marriage News and Iván Chanis Barahona:
In Panamá, as promised, three same-sex couples are appealing the Supreme Court's denial of marriage equality to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (CIDH).
Sentencias sesgadas sobre matrimonio igualitario generan limbo jurídico para familias diversas en Panamá.
https://elpais.com/opinion/2023-06-23/un-mes-del-…
Biased judgments concerning marriage equality generate legal limbo for diverse families in Panamá.
25.
VIRick | June 24, 2023 at 7:22 am
Mexico City: Massive Communal Same-Sex Marriage Ceremony
On 23 June 2023, in Mexico City, hundreds of same-sex couples and transgender people celebrated marriage and/or the completion of the administrative process to change their gender identity, in a massive communal ceremony one day before the city's annual Gay Pride march. Some 120 couples met the requirements to be married in the collective civil ceremony under the slogan, "Hand in hand, we march with pride," the CDMX government said in a press statement.
Another 131 people in the capital were set to complete the administrative gender-change process, the city government said. Transgender people face many hurdles when they cannot up-date legal documents, such as ID cards, to reflect their gender identity. The process, which is free in Mexico City, comes after the 2014 legal reform allowing adults to change the gender on birth certificates and electoral cards if they identify as a different gender from the one assigned at birth.
On Saturday, 24 June 2023, supporters of LGBTQ rights are set to march down one of Mexico City's broad avenidas to the central plaza (actually, to the statue of the "Angel of Independence") to raise awareness of the violence and discrimination against the community and to push for equality.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/mexico-city-…
26.
VIRick | June 24, 2023 at 11:26 am
A Coup Is Underway in Russia, 24 June 2023
On 23 June 2023, the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and its military facilities were seized by Wagner mercenaries.
From there, a massive armed column is now racing toward Moscow, and as of the afternoon of 24 June 2023, had already reached the city of Voronezh, about half-way along the route, seizing Russian military facilities there, as well.
Military checkpoints are being erected on the highways around Moscow's perimeter. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has declared Monday, 26 June, a non-working day and urged residents to refrain from travelling around the city.
As a pre-emptive caution, Latvia has closed all of its borders until further notice.
The Belarusian presidential jet has already flown from Minsk to Bodrum, in sw Turkey, ostensibly with Lukashenko on board. It flew a very circuitous route over the Caspian Sea and Georgia, avoiding both Ukrainian and south Russian air space.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russia-battl…
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/06/24/740…
27.
VIRick | June 24, 2023 at 9:38 pm
Nuevo León: Modified Articles in Civil Code Allowing Marriage Equality Now in Effect
Per LGBT Marriage News:
On 23 June 2023, the modified articles in the Nuevo León state Civil Code allowing for marriage equality were published in the state gazette, and thus, will officially enter into effect from 24 June 2023.
https://www.eldiariodechihuahua.mx/nacional/entra…
In actual practice, since 2019, Nuevo León state has had marriage equality as a result of a Supreme Court ruling. Now, over 4 years later, the state Congress has finally up-dated the Civil Code to reflect that reality.
28.
ianbirmingham | June 26, 2023 at 10:23 am
Transgender Delaware state Senator Sarah McBride announces run for US House
Already the first openly transgender state senator elected in the country, she'd be the first transgender member of Congress if she wins in November.
There are several other transgender legislators around the country but she's the first trans member of any state Senate.
McBride interned at the White House under former President Barack Obama and made history at the 2016 Democratic National Convention as the first openly trans person to speak at a major party convention.
https://news.yahoo.com/delaware-senator-wins-us-h…
29.
ianbirmingham | June 26, 2023 at 11:06 am
SCOTUS won't hear appeal re: Schools can't mandate skirts only for girls
A federal appeals court found the policy violated the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause, a decision left in place by the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear the case.
The federals appeal court had said the school is a “state actor” and must be treated as all public schools are, meaning it cannot have a dress code aimed specifically at women.
“Today’s announcement is a victory for the thousands of students who attend public charter schools in North Carolina and for the 3.6 million students like them nationwide,” said Ria Tabacco Mar, director of the ACLU Women’s Rights Project. “Girls at public charter schools have the same constitutional rights as their peers at other public schools — including the freedom to wear pants. We will continue to fight for all girls to learn in safe and equal schools.”
https://thehill.com/homenews/education/4067820-su…
30.
VIRick | June 26, 2023 at 5:36 pm
ECHR Rules that Hungary Violated European Convention on Human Rights
Per LGBT Marriage News:
On 22 June 2023, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that Hungary has violated transgender people's rights by effectively blocking legal name/gender change.
A client of the Transvanilla Transgender Association applied for a name and gender marker change prior to 2020. At that time, the Hungarian authorities rejected her application on the grounds of legal deficiencies. However, the Budapest-Capital Regional Court pointed out in this case that it is the responsibility of the state to establish the procedural framework which ensures the exercise of fundamental rights. This Court agreed with the fact that the applicant suffered serious psychological and health damage.
In the present ruling, the Court confirmed that the right to respect private life under Article 8 of the Convention extends to gender identity as a component of personal identity. This holds true for all individuals, including transgender people who have not undergone gender reassignment treatment, or who do not wish to undergo such treatment.
In addition to prohibiting arbitrary interference by public authorities, Article 8 of the Convention imposes a positive obligation on the State: to adopt specific measures, legislative framework, and remedies necessary for the effective exercise of the right. The Court noted that from 29 May 2020, Hungarian law does not allow for a change in the register of the data concerning a person’s sex at birth. Although the case concerns a procedure that was initiated before the adoption of Article 33 in 2020, the Court found it relevant to point out that under the rules currently in force, the applicant is no longer in a position to lodge a new request for the legal recognition of their gender identity.
https://transvanilla.hu/home/news/european-court-…
31.
ianbirmingham | June 27, 2023 at 8:56 am
SCOTUS rules that state Constitutions and state courts can review & limit state legislatures re: elections (Gerrymandering case from North Carolina)
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-12…
32.
VIRick | June 27, 2023 at 12:31 pm
Navajo Nation: Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Legalize Marriage Equality
On 23 June 2023, during the Navajo Nation Pride opening ceremony, the Navajo Nation Council Delegate Seth Damon signed and sponsored legislation that would recognize same-sex marriages within the Navajo Nation. To conform with this repeal, the legislation also amends other provisions within the Navajo Nation Code, but the traditional (religious) Navajo wedding ceremony involving a man and woman shall remain unchanged.
Ever since 2005, same-sex marriages have been prohibited, after the Navajo Council overwhelmingly voted to pass the Diné Marriage Act, even doing so a second time to override a presidential veto. The new legislation began its five-day public comment period on 23 June, one that will end on 29 June, before tribal council committees will hear it.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/navajo-na…
33.
VIRick | June 27, 2023 at 6:32 pm
California: Assembly Passes Marriage Equality Constitutional Amendment
On 26 June 2023, marking the 10-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling in "Hollingsworth v. Perry," a decision that restored marriage equality in California, the California Assembly passed a proposed state constitutional amendment to protect marriage equality in the Golden State, and did so with bipartisan support.
Assembly Constitutional Amendment 5 (ACA 5), authored by Assembly member Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley) and Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), would amend the California state Constitution to protect the fundamental freedom to marry and remove from it the unconstitutional and discriminatory language of Proposition 8, helping to safeguard against any future attempt to restrict marriage rights for same-sex or interracial couples.
ACA 5 now heads to the state Senate, where more than the required two-thirds of the members of the chamber have already signed on as co-authors. Once the full Senate approves ACA 5, the measure will then be referred to voters for majority approval in the November 2024 general election.
https://www.losangelesblade.com/2023/06/26/assemb…
34.
VIRick | June 27, 2023 at 6:49 pm
Estonia: President Ratifies Same-Sex Marriage and Tax Laws
Per LGBT Marriage News:
On 27 June 2023, Estonian President Alar Karis ratified the country’s same-sex marriage law, as well as several controversial tax hikes, while also criticizing the government for the methods used to pass the bills.
The coalition government led by Prime Minister Kaja Kallas managed to pass the laws earlier this month using numerous confidence votes to end weeks of filibustering. Karis, at a news conference announcing that he had signed the measures, warned the government cannot use those same tactics indefinitely when the legislature’s new session begins in the fall because that would amount to “switching off parliament.”
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-2…
35.
VIRick | June 28, 2023 at 2:29 pm
Arizona: Governor Signs Two Pro-LGBT Executive Orders
On 27 June 2023, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) signed two executive orders to protect LGBTQ people. The first bans state agencies from promoting or funding so-called "conversion therapy," the harmful and widely condemned practice in which therapists use pseudo-scientific theories in an attempt to turn LGBTQ people straight and/or cisgender.
The second order allows state employee health insurance plans to cover gender-affirming surgery, removing a 2017 policy that banned plans from doing so. The order also prohibits state agencies from co-operating with criminal and civil cases in states that have banned gender-affirming healthcare.
The healthcare order will likely lead to the end of a 2019 lawsuit from the ACLU on behalf of transgender University of Arizona professor Russell Toomey, who has been fighting for coverage for gender-affirming surgery. The ACLU wrote that the “landmark order” means that the organization will now file a motion to settle the case.
Since taking office in January 2023, Hobbs has made it clear that she prioritizes LGBTQ rights. On her first day in office, she signed an executive order extending employment protections to state employees and contractors who are LGBTQ. Earlier in June, she vetoed a bill that would have banned transgender students from using the appropriate restrooms at school.
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/06/arizona-gover…
36.
VIRick | June 28, 2023 at 4:06 pm
Michigan Legislature Passes Ban on "Conversion Therapy"
Per LGBT Marriage News:
On 28 June 2023, the Michigan legislature passed a ban on "conversion therapy." The measure now heads to the governor for her signature.
Late in the day, the Michigan Legislature approved the ban on "conversion therapy" for LGBTQ minors, after which the state Senate then sent the legislation on to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) for signing. The Michigan Senate approved the ban in a 21-15 vote, with one Republican siding with all the Democrats.
Said legislation would prohibit mental health professionals from engaging youths in the scientifically discredited practice of trying to convert people who are LGBTQ to heterosexuality and traditional gender expectations.
In 2021, Whitmer signed an executive directive prohibiting the use of state and federal funds for "conversion therapy" on minors and to explore what further actions can be taken to protect minors from the practice. If signed by Whitmer, Michigan will become the 22nd state to ban "conversion therapy," according to the Movement Advancement Project, a pro-LGBTQ rights think tank.
In March, lawmakers codified LGBTQ protections into the state's civil rights law, thus permanently outlawing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in the state.
https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2023/06/28/m…
37.
VIRick | June 28, 2023 at 4:42 pm
Nepal: Supreme Court Orders Government to Register LGBT Marriages, Nation #36
Per LGBT Marriage News:
Today, 28 June 2023, the Nepal Supreme Court has ordered the government to begin registering LGBT marriages. Marriage equality is effectively legal now in Nepal!
The Nepal Supreme Court first ordered the government to legalize LGBT marriage 15 years ago. Since then, having failed to pass a marriage equality bill, the Supreme Court has now issued this "interim" decision, which requires the government to register same-sex marriages until such legislation is actually passed.
https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/supreme-court-…
38.
scream4ever | June 28, 2023 at 4:46 pm
Hopefully this bodes well for India!!!
39.
VIRick | June 28, 2023 at 5:47 pm
Supreme Court of Nepal directs govt to allow registration of same-sex marriages
Per Vikrant Singh, datelined Kathmandu, Nepal:
On 28 June 2023, the Supreme Court of Nepal has issued an interim order to the government, instructing it to temporarily allow the registration of same-sex marriages. The court order, issued by Justice Til Prasad Shrestha, requires the government to make the necessary arrangements for registering marriages of couples from sexual and gender minority groups if they wish to do so.
The decision came after seven individuals, including activist Pinky Gurung who represents the Blue Diamond Society (BDS), an organization advocating for LGBTI rights, filed a writ to the Prime Minister and the Office of the Council of Ministers, urging the legalization of same-sex marriage.
The petitioners argue that despite a Supreme Court ruling 15 years ago that allowed same-sex marriages, Nepalese law has obstructed implementation of such marriages. They base their argument in favor on Clause 69 (1) of the National Civil Code 2017, which guarantees the freedom to marry for all individuals, and Clause 18 (1) of the Nepalese Constitution 2015, which states that all citizens are equal under the law. They are demanding the legalization of same-sex marriage based on said constitutional provisions.
Pinky Gurung of the BDS stated that following the court's order, same-sex marriages can now be registered until specific laws are formulated to officially recognize these unions. She emphasized that although the Supreme Court had previously allowed same-sex marriage through an order 15 years ago, the absence of specific legislation had prevented its implementation, thereby forcing individuals from the third-gender community to seek the current legal recourse.
In addition to ordering the government to enable registration, the Supreme Court gave opponents of same-sex marriage 15 days to provide a written reply on the matter.
https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/supreme-court-…
40.
ianbirmingham | June 28, 2023 at 5:25 pm
Federal judge blocks Kentucky’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors
The ACLU of Kentucky had filed a lawsuit to stop a part of SB 150 that would block all gender-affirming care for trans youth. A group of plaintiffs, including seven transgender minors and their parents, filed the motion.
The ACLU released this statement:
“We are grateful to the Court for enjoining this egregious ban on medically necessary care, which would have caused harm for countless young Kentuckians. This is a win, but it is only the first step. We’re prepared to fight for families’ right to make their own private medical decisions in court, and to continue doing everything in our power to ensure access to medical care is permanently secured in Kentucky.”
https://www.wkyt.com/2023/06/28/federal-judge-blo…
41.
ianbirmingham | June 28, 2023 at 6:18 pm
Federal judge blocks Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors
Every federal court so far has blocked or rejected these bans as discriminatory and dangerous.
https://twitter.com/ACLU/status/16741903790489927…
42.
ianbirmingham | June 28, 2023 at 6:46 pm
Systemic assault on LGBTQ+ rights in Kurdistan: A troubling backslide towards inequality and exclusion
Upholding justice, inclusion, and respect for human rights necessitates the recognition and protection of individuals’ rights. Suppressing LGBTQ+ activism under the pretense of public morality or family preservation is a backward step, stalling progress towards building a society that values diversity and ensures equal opportunities for all.
https://nrtenglish.com/2023/06/26/systemic-assaul…
43.
VIRick | June 28, 2023 at 7:11 pm
Tennessee: Federal Judge Blocks Ban on Gender-Affirming Healthcare for Trans Youth
Per Lambda Legal:
On 28 June 2023, a federal judge in Tennessee has blocked enforcement of a Tennessee law, SB 1, banning best practice medical care for trans youth up to age 18, while several families’ legal challenge against the law proceeds in court.
https://twitter.com/LambdaLegal/status/1674218581…
“Plaintiffs have met their burden of demonstrating that (Tennessee’s SB 1) is most likely unconstitutional on its face … and a state-wide injunction is typically an appropriate remedy in such circumstances,” wrote Judge Eli Richardson of the US District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.
https://www.advocate.com/law/tennessee-kentucky-t…
SB 1 was set to take effect from 1 July 2023.
44.
VIRick | June 28, 2023 at 7:26 pm
Kentucky: Federal Judge Blocks Ban on Gender-Affirming Healthcare for Trans Youth
Per Equality Case Files:
On 26 June 2023, a federal judge in Kentucky has issued a preliminary injunction blocking SB 150, a prohibition on the use of puberty-blockers and hormones for minors, pending resolution of the case. The law would have gone into effect on 29 June.
The Court finds treatments are medically necessary and appropriate "under the evidence-based standard of care accepted by all major medical organizations in the United States."
https://twitter.com/EQCF/status/16741607465430630…
Per ACLU-KY:
On 26 June 2023, the US District Court for the Western District of Kentucky granted the ACLU of Kentucky, National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP’s motion for a preliminary injunction blocking Section 4 of SB 150, the provision of an anti-trans omnibus law in Kentucky that bans necessary medical care for transgender youth. The medical portions of the law, passed following the Kentucky Legislature’s vote to override the governor’s veto, were to go into effect on 29 June 2023.
https://www.aclu-ky.org/en/press-releases/court-g…
So far, federal judges in Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee have issued preliminary injunctions blocking bans on gender-affirming healthcare for minors from taking effect in those states while court cases proceed against said states in question. The ban in Arkansas has been permanently enjoined from ever taking effect.
45.
VIRick | June 29, 2023 at 3:41 pm
Namibia Complies with Court Ruling on Same-Sex Marriage
The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security says that it will comply with a Supreme Court judgment on the recognition of same-sex marriages that was delivered last month. On 28 June 2023, the ministry’s executive director, Etienne Maritz, said in a statement that the government, and the ministry in particular, have taken note of the court’s judgment and acknowledges the independence of the courts and the finality of Supreme Court decisions.
On 16 May 2023, the Supreme Court ordered that the government, the minister of home affairs, and Namibia’s immigration authorities must recognize two same-sex couples’ marriages that were lawfully concluded outside Namibia, in countries where same-sex marriage is legally recognized.
The court also declared that the non-Namibian partner in each of the two marriages is the spouse of the Namibian partner for the purposes of the Immigration Control Act, and declared that the adopted child of one couple is their dependent child, as envisaged in the Immigration Control Act.
https://www.namibian.com.na/govt-bows-to-same-sex…
46.
scream4ever | June 29, 2023 at 6:02 pm
Key document may be fake in LGBTQ+ rights case before US supreme court:
https://amp.theguardian.com/law/2023/jun/29/supre…
47.
VIRick | June 29, 2023 at 9:19 pm
North Carolina Legislature Sends Bill Banning Gender-Affirming Healthcare to Governor
North Carolina’s Republican-controlled legislature has advanced a bill that would ban certain gender-affirming healthcare for minors to the governor’s desk. On 28 June 2023, the state’s House voted to pass the bill along party lines after it cleared the state Senate earlier this week. The measure now awaits a decision from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who has been a vocal opponent of legislation targeting LGBTQ youth this session and is expected to veto the bill.
The legislation bans doctors in the state from providing gender-affirming care to minors, even if there is parental consent. Under House Bill 808, medical professionals are prohibited from performing surgical gender transition procedures, prescribing puberty-blocking drugs, and providing hormone treatments for those under the age of 18, though there are extremely limited exceptions for certain disorders. If a doctor breaks the law, the bill calls for their medical license to be revoked.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/north-car…
48.
VIRick | June 29, 2023 at 9:33 pm
This entire case is fake, with an artificially dreamed-up "what if" type of scenario as its basic premise.
Lorie Smith has no clients, has no business, has no website, and has suffered no harm. The entire mess is all theoretical. Thus, she has no standing to pre-emptively sue over some possible future "harm" that may never materialize.
The fact that she may have also retroactively invented "Stewart and Mike" as having made some sort of inquiry regarding her theoretical website only adds to the total ludicrousness of the matter, when in real-life fact, there never was any "Stewart and Mike," let alone any "Stewart and Mike" seeking to marry and wishing to utilize her theoretical business which was not ready to assist anyone in the first instance. Plus, according to the dismissal of the case at the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, she never offered any proof that "Stewart and Mike" (real or not) were even of the same sex.
Despite her theoretical "worries" about a Colorado state law, she never filed a complaint in state court, mainly because the state never charged her with anything, given that she never did anything, let alone anything to violate state law. The Colorado law in question was never challenged, and remains in effect.
Instead, she filed her theoretical "worries" in federal district court. That court dismissed her case for lack of a complaint. Her lawyers, the ADF, appealed. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals did likewise in dismissing her. The ADF appealed again.
Most peculiarly, at this stage, the Supreme Court, already with a "solution" in hand, was in need of a "problem" that they had already pre-determined needed "fixing." As a result, they most inappropriately granted certiorari to a twice-dismissed "theoretical worries" suit that was lacking a complaint. She thus became their conduit, much as she had already become the conduit of the ADF as a means for pushing their agenda.
I am left with absolute ZERO confidence in the impartiality of the current majority of the US Supreme Court.
49.
ianbirmingham | June 30, 2023 at 7:01 am
SCOTUS Opinion in LGBTQ rights case 303 Creative v. Elenis
Held: The First Amendment prohibits Colorado from forcing a website designer to create expressive designs speaking messages with which the designer disagrees.
States may “protect gay persons, just as [they] can protect other classes of individuals, in acquiring whatever products and services they choose on the same terms and conditions as are offered to other members of the public. And there are no doubt innumerable goods and services that no one could argue implicate the First Amendment.” Ibid. At the same time, this Court has also long recognized that no public accommodations law is immune from the demands of the Constitution. In particular, this Court has held, public accommodations statutes can sweep too broadly when deployed to compel speech.
The State stresses that Ms. Smith offers her speech for pay and does so through 303 Creative LLC, a company in which she is “the sole member-owner.” But many of the world’s great works of literature and art were created with an expectation of compensation. And speakers do not shed their First Amendment protections by employing the corporate form to disseminate their speech.
Sotomayor dissents, joined by Kagan and Jackson.
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-47…
50.
ianbirmingham | June 30, 2023 at 9:24 am
Jim Crow Returns To America
Now that SCOTUS has ruled that de facto segregation is legal at commercial websites as long as one has some sort of religious excuse, we can now expect to see "FOR USE BY WHITE PERSONS" banners on commercial websites run by those who are members of white racist religions, etc…
51.
ianbirmingham | June 30, 2023 at 3:13 pm
It's important to understand here that according to SCOTUS, that freedom of religion extends to non-theistic religions (e.g., Buddhism) and beyond that to anything that amounts to the equivalent of a religion in a person's life.
SCOTUS could just overturn past precedent on that topic at any time though, just as it has turned US public accommodation law upside-down today…
52.
scream4ever | June 30, 2023 at 3:50 pm
*wink* Church of Satan *wink*
53.
VIRick | June 30, 2023 at 6:03 pm
Nebraska State Senator Files Defamation Suit for Being Called "Groomer"
Nebraska State Senator Megan Hunt, one of three lawmakers who ground legislative business in the state to a halt with a months-long filibuster from late-February until May protesting an anti-trans bill, has filed a defamation lawsuit against a far-right lobbying group that accused her of being a “groomer.” “These malicious and false lies about Hunt had vicious consequences,” the complaint states, and made her fear for her and her child’s physical safety.
The suit is centered on posts tweeted out in March by the Nebraska Freedom Coalition, which called Hunt, the first out bisexual member of Nebraska’s Legislative Assembly, a “groomer,” and included childhood photos of her now 13-year-old transgender son. The right-wing organization has been active in formulating anti-LGBTQ legislation in the state.
The complaint, filed in Douglas County District Court on 28 June 2023, documents hundreds of incidents of harassment in the aftermath of the PAC’s online accusations. “After the Coalition’s posts accusing Hunt of abusing and grooming her child, she was called a groomer on Twitter no fewer than 231 times. She received 25 phone calls calling her a groomer and/or pedophile, and 34 emails accusing her of the same and often unfit to be a mother."
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/06/bi-lawmaker-s…
54.
VIRick | June 30, 2023 at 7:23 pm
Puebla: First Equal Marriage in Tehuacán
El 30 de junio 2023, se realizó el primer matrimonio igualitario en Tehuacán, se trata de Kevin Williams y Galiseo González, quienes después de 10 años de relación, decidieron formalizar su matrimonio.
https://twitter.com/MVSNoticiasPue
On 30 June 2023, the first equal marriage was realized in Tehuacán, between Kevin Williams and Galiseo González, who decided to formalize their marriage after a 10-year relationship.
55.
VIRick | June 30, 2023 at 7:35 pm
Spain: 18th Anniversary of Marriage Equality
El 30 de junio del 2005, hace 18 años, bajo un gobierno socialista, España se convertía en el tercer país del mundo en aprobar el matrimonio igualitario.
https://twitter.com/PSOECastillejaC
On 30 June 2005, 18 years ago, under a socialist government, Spain became the third country worldwide to approve marriage equality.
56.
VIRick | June 30, 2023 at 7:48 pm
Baja California Sur: 4th Anniversary of Marriage Equality
La comunidad LGBT en La Paz BCS ha vivido momentos importantes dentro de la lucha de los derechos LGBTQ, y uno de ellos fue la aprobación del matrimonio igualitario el 28 de junio 2019.
https://twitter.com/diversiradio1
The LGBT community in La Paz BCS has lived during important moments in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and one of them was the approval of marriage equality on 28 June 2019.
57.
VIRick | June 30, 2023 at 9:38 pm
Sinaloa: Second Anniversary of Marriage Equality
Per Tiago Ventura:
El 15 de junio 2021, se aprobó en Sinaloa el matrimonio igualitario.
https://twitter.com/venturatiago/status/166942880…
On 15 June 2021, marriage equality was approved in Sinaloa.
58.
VIRick | June 30, 2023 at 10:47 pm
Ecuador: 4th Anniversary of Marriage Equality
Un día como hoy, hace 4 años, el 12 de junio 2019, la Corte Constitucional del Ecuador dictó a favor del matrimonio civil entre personas del mismo género.
https://twitter.com/DialogoDiverso/status/1668378…
A day like today, 4 years ago, on 12 June 2019, the Constitutional Court of Ecuador ruled in favor of civil marriage between persons of the same sex.
59.
VIRick | July 1, 2023 at 8:10 am
Louisiana Governor Vetoes Anti-LGBT Package of Bills
On 30 June 2023, Democratic Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards blocked a package of anti-LGBTQ legislation from becoming law, including Louisiana's version of what critics call Florida's “Don't Say Gay” bill, as well as a ban on gender-affirming medical care for young transgender people, and a measure requiring public school teachers to use the pronouns and names that align with what students were assigned at birth. Edwards vetoed all three bills.
The effort by Republicans to enact said legislation into Louisiana law is likely far from over. Multiple GOP state lawmakers say they anticipate convening for a veto session in mid-July in an attempt to override the governor's decision.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/louisiana…
60.
VIRick | July 1, 2023 at 9:20 am
Kansas: Governor Issues Directive Allowing Trans Persons to Alter State-Issued IDs
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly issued a directive allowing agencies under her control to defy the state attorney-general's legal opinion on transgender people altering their driver’s licenses and birth certificates, thus going directly against Attorney-General Kris Kobach’s myopically pig-headed stance on the matter.
On 29 June 2023, Kelly announced that the state will continue to allow transgender Kansas residents to change their sex or gender on their state-issued driver’s licenses and birth certificates, despite a new state law, loudly backed by the A-G Kobach claiming to prevent it, given that no state legislation can legally contradict a 2019 federal court ruling that Kansans can rightfully amend their sex on those documents.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/kelly-def…
61.
ianbirmingham | July 1, 2023 at 11:37 am
Grand Rapids journalists fired after criticizing memo on Pride Month coverage
Two journalists at a Grand Rapids TV station were fired Thursday after criticizing a company memo on covering Pride Month that told reporters they needed to recognize LGBTQ issues were "polarizing in our community."
Madeline Odle and Luke Stier, who worked as executive producers at WOOD-TV8, issued a Friday morning statement on social media, saying they were "waking up reading the news instead of writing it."
"We have been told our non-compete clauses remain in effect, which means we are looking at unexpected career changes," their statement said.
But as news spread of the firings, state Rep. Phil Skaggs, D-Grand Rapids, called on WOOD-TV8 and Nexstar Media Group to immediately reinstate Odle and Stier.
"The termination of journalists, simply because they wanted to inform us about the diverse human interests of our community cannot stand," Skaggs said.
Skaggs commended Odle and Stier for insisting "on doing their work with integrity" and supporting "the dignity of LGBTQ+ members of our community."
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/mich…
62.
ianbirmingham | July 2, 2023 at 4:33 pm
Pro wrestler gets cheered by audience for saying he's gay
During a dialogue with Australian Harley Cameron, in which she said to Bowens 'It's pretty clear you're in to me', he replied: 'Did you get kicked too many times in the head by a kangaroo when you were a kid?
'Because I don't know if you can see my gear, lady… I'm gay!'
He was met with raucous applause from the crowd and looked visibly delighted in the ring as he paused to take it all in before continuing.
Bowens came out in 2017 and now regularly fights in pink trunks and shares images on his social media with long-term boyfriend, actor Michael Pavano.
The pair recently celebrated seven years together, and Bowens fronted the cover of TwentySix magazine in June to celebrate Pride Month.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/art…
63.
ianbirmingham | July 2, 2023 at 8:12 pm
Ron Desantis: A candidate so bad, even the Log Cabin Republicans disapprove
The new DeSantis video quickly drew bipartisan criticism from the LGBTQ community.
Former Trump adviser and ambassador Richard Grenell, who is gay, wrote on Twitter that the video was "undeniably homophobic."
Log Cabin Republicans, a group for LGBTQ conservatives, called the video "divisive" and "desperate."
"Conservatives understand that we need to protect our kids, preserve women's sports, safeguard women's spaces and strengthen parental rights, but Ron DeSantis' extreme rhetoric goes has just ventured into homophobic territory," the group wrote on Twitter. "DeSantis' rhetoric will lose hard-fought gains in critical races across the nation. This old playbook has been tried in the past and has failed – repeatedly."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/how-senat…
64.
ianbirmingham | July 2, 2023 at 8:55 pm
Well, well, well. @LogCabinGOP now says DeSantis is homophobic— too little, too late.
Where were they when DeSantis VETOED critical funding for Pulse nightclub survivors?
Or when his office called us groomers and pedophiles?
They endorsed and gave cover to his hateful agenda.
Carlos Guillermo Smith @CarlosGSmith – History-making former lawmaker. Candidate for Florida Senate. LGBTQ. https://twitter.com/CarlosGSmith/status/167554088…
65.
ianbirmingham | July 2, 2023 at 9:02 pm
Justice Clarence Thomas is 75. Justice Alito is 73. They are getting older and will retire soon.
If Biden is re-elected and they retire, he gets to select their successors meaning a liberal Supreme Court.
That’s a good reason to vote for Biden in 2024.
https://twitter.com/harryjsisson/status/167565257…
66.
VIRick | July 2, 2023 at 9:44 pm
Latin America: Multitude of LGBTIQ Marches in Panamá, Guayaquil, Bogotá, Lima
Ciudad de Panamá, Rep. de Panamá, per AFP:
On 1 July 2023, around 1,000 people took part in the annual Pride Parade in Panama City, demanding respect for their rights and sexual identity.
https://twitter.com/AFP/status/167531645782629171…
Guayaquil, Ecuador, per Diana Patiño Flor:
"El amor es muy bonito para esconderlo en un armario"
"Love is too beautiful to hide it in a closet"
Photos are here:
https://twitter.com/nitadp/status/167529317332364…
Bogotá, Colombia, per Alejandro Michells:
Les invitamos a acompañarnos en la XXVII Marcha LGBTI de Bogotá 2023, Domingo, 2 de julio.
https://twitter.com/alejomichells/status/16751467…
We invite you to accompany us in the 27th LGBTI March of Bogotá 2023, Sunday, 2 July.
Lima, Peru, per Paco Flores:
La Municipalidad de Lima no nos dejó llegar a la Plaza San Martín como todos los años, pero llenamos la Alameda 28 de Julio.
The Municipality of Lima did not allow us to go to the Plaza San Martín as in all previous years, but we filled the Alameda 28 de Julio.
The video is here:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1675303745318539266
67.
ianbirmingham | July 3, 2023 at 5:21 am
Ron DeSantis’ pastor says gay people should be “put to death”
The pastor who delivered the invocation at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis‘s (R) second inauguration has said that gay people should be put to death.
Tom Ascol — senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida — made his comment on Twitter while criticizing Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). On Monday, Cruz issued a tweet criticizing Uganda’s new “Anti-Homosexuality Act,” a law that punishes “aggravated homosexuality” with death.
The pastor cited Leviticus 20:13, the Old Testament verse that says, “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.”
DeSantis has signed numerous laws punishing teachers who mention LGBTQ+ issues, school officials who implement for trans-inclusive policies, doctors who provide gender-affirming care, transgender people who use bathrooms matching their gender identity, and businesses that allow children to see drag queens.
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/06/ron-desantis-…