The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing next week on a federal anti-LGBTQ bill, similar to the one that was just blocked by a federal judge in Mississippi. The hearing will take place on Tuesday morning, exactly one month after the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando that claimed the lives of 49 LGBTQ individuals and allies.
Mississippi Judge Strikes Down Anti-LGBT Law
A federal judge blocked Mississippi law H.B. 1523 hours before it was slated to take effect last week.
Defense Secretary Carter Lifts Ban on Transgender Service Members
In a historic decision, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced Thursday that the Pentagon is lifting its discriminatory ban on transgender people serving openly in the United States military.
PayPal Cancels Plans to Expand into North Carolina Citing New Discriminatory Law
PayPal CEO Dan Schulman announced on Tuesday that the company made a “clear and unambiguous” decision to cancel plans to open a new global operations center in Charlotte, North Carolina, stating that HB2 “violates the values and principles that are at the core of PayPal’s mission and culture.”
Lawsuit Challenges North Carolina’s Anti-LGBT Law
Civil liberties groups joined with two transgender people and a law school professor today to file a federal suit challenging North Carolina’s new anti-LGBT law.
Supreme Court Reverses Alabama Ruling Against Gay Adoption
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled yesterday that every state must recognize the parental rights of same-sex parents who legally adopt a child. The decision reverses an Alabama Supreme Court decision that refused to recognize the parental rights of a lesbian mother who adopted three children in Georgia in 2007.
LGBT Californians Make Legal Strides
This month, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law four bills that protect same-sex families, LGBT students and many more.
Kentucky Clerk Defies Supreme Court, Refuses to Issue Marriage Licenses
Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis will be summoned to court this morning where a federal judge could hold her in contempt for refusing to issue a marriage licenses to gay couples.
Queer Troop Leaders Are Now Welcome By The Boy Scouts of America
This win for LGBT rights is limited, however, as troops organized through church groups can still decide if they will allow gay leaders.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Rules LGBT Employees Are Protected from Job Discrimination
The EEOC declared that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects the LGBT community from workplace discrimination.
Pentagon Starts Process to Lift Ban on Transgender Military Members
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced this week that the Department of Defense will begin the process of lifting the ban on transgender military service members.
We Need to Talk About the SCOTUS Marriage Equality Dissenters
It was a moment in time that I will remember for the rest of my life. It was the kind of joy you experience deep in your chest. But what I’m really going to remember is how close it was.
Moving Beyond Marriage: What Needs to Be Next for the LGBT Rights Movement
A marriage certificate is not a shield from discrimination.
Supreme Court Declares Marriage Equality a Constitutional Right
In a 5-4 decision delivered by Justice Anthony Kennedy this morning, the Supreme Court of the United States declared that same-sex couples fundamentally have equal protections under the Constitution.
Ireland Votes Overwhelmingly to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
Ireland became the first country in the world to pass marriage equality through popular vote on Friday.
Maryland Governor Will Not Veto LGBT Rights Bills
The Maryland General Assembly passed SB 743 / HB 862 and SB 416 / HB 838 by wide margins and with bipartisan support on March 24, after which both were sent to the Governor’s desk.
LGBT Rights Activists Applaud Bruce Jenner Coming Out As Trans
Bruce Jenner, a former Olympic gold medalist and reality TV personality, recently came out as transgender in an interview with Diane Sawyer. LGBT activists around the world applaud the brave move, pointing out the added struggle of being trans while in constant public spotlight.
The Supreme Court Will Hear Arguments Tomorrow in Long-Awaited Marriage Equality Case
The case, Obergfell v. Hodges, will look at whether the 14th Amendment requires the state to allow and license a marriage for same-sex couples, and will address whether the Amendment requires the state to recognize the marriage of same-sex couples when their marriage was licensed out-of-state.
The Obama Administration Has Come Out Against Anti-Gay “Conversion Therapy”
The statement was in response to a WhiteHouse.gov petition that was created after the suicide of transgender teenager Leelah Alcorn, which gained more than 120,000 signatures.
Malta Passes Law to Ban ‘Normalization’ Surgery on Intersex Infants, Allow Self-Determination of Gender
The new law also allows people to change their gender identity on documents by simply filing an affidavit with a notary, which ends the requirement for surgery in order to legally identify as a gender other than the one assigned at birth.