This past weekend gay pride marches were held across the country on the 41st anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which broke out after police raided the Stonewall Inn, a New York City gay bar. In the 1960s, raids on gay bars were common, but the riots resulting from the raid of the Stonewall Inn are […]
Last week, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that same-sex marriage is not a basic universal human right. The decision was made in response to a case brought to the court by two Austrian men, Michael Schalk and Johan Kopf, who were denied the ability to marry and sued under the European Convention on […]
The US Supreme Court ruled 8 to 1 yesterday that signatories to statewide referendum petitions should be public information. The case, Doe v. Reed (see PDF), arose out of controversy surrounding Referendum 71 in Washington state and dealt with issues of free-speech and privacy. The decision upholds Washington’s public-records law. The decision, which was authored […]
Julia Gillard became Australia’s first woman prime minister yesterday, after former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd abruptly stepped down from his position. Gillard, who has been the deputy prime minister for nearly three years, was unanimously selected by the Labor Party. As prime minister, Rudd had low approval ratings and faced opposition from within the party. […]
Cammi Granato and Angela James became the first women inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada, this week.Hall of Fame Chairman Bill Hay told the Canadian Press “It’s time for females to be in. Changing the voting regulations to accommodate under the player category for two women, and the maximum of four […]
Mexico filed an amicus brief this week against the new Arizona immigration law that argues the new law may damage US-Mexico relations and lead to discrimination against Mexican citizens. The Phoenix Business Journal reports that Mexico filed a brief in favor of the federal lawsuit which claims the law “unfairly targets Hispanics” and that “immigration […]
The New York State Senate passed the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) on Tuesday night, a measure which would protect New York state public school students from harassment based on their sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, or sex. Governor David Patterson has already pledged to sign the bill into law, making it […]
Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle placed a bill that would legalize civil unions in Hawaii on a potential veto list she released Monday. Lingle must either veto or sign the bill or let the bill pass into law without her signature by a July 6 deadline. She has given little public indication of what her decision […]
The US Department of Labor updated regulations of the Family and Medical Leave Act yesterday so that lesbian and gay employees are now able to take unpaid family and medical leave to care for newborn or sick children. The updated regulations clarify the definition of son or daughter, stating that “an employee who assumes the […]
Elaine Marshall defeated opponent Cal Cunningham last night to win the Democratic Senate nomination for North Carolina. Marshall came away with a solid victory, defeating Cunningham with 60 percent of the vote, reports Politico. She now faces incumbent Republican Senator Richard Burr in the November elections. Marshall currently serves as Secretary of State in North […]
Today marks the 38th anniversary of Title IX, a law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in all levels of education. The legislation, which was originally passed in 1972, reads: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be […]
Voters in Fremont, Nebraska, passed an ordinance yesterday that will ban employers and landlords from hiring or renting to illegal immigrants. The ordinance, which was supported by approximately 57 percent of Fremont’s voters, has propelled Nebraska to the forefront of the national debate on illegal immigration, alongside Arizona. The ACLU plans to challenge the ordinance […]
The Public Welfare Foundation released a survey yesterday that reports a majority of citizens believe paid sick days are a “basic workers right.” Over 40 million US workers do not have paid sick days, according to the Public Welfare Foundation. Eighty-six percent of the survey’s respondents said they would support legislation mandating at least seven […]
Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA.) introduced a bill last week that would establish a public education program to inform women and their health care providers about emergency contraception. According to a press release, the program, established through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, would educate consumers, nonprofits, universities, clinics, the […]
The New York Senate passed a bill last week that will make no-fault divorce a legal option in the state. The bill passed 32 to 39, and now goes to the State Assembly for approval, reports
On Wednesday, the New York State Senate passed legislation that enables victims of sex trafficking to clear their records of prostitution-related offenses. The legislation, which was already approved by the assembly last month, will become effective as soon as Governor David Patterson (D) signs the bill. The legislation will help those forced into sex trafficking […]
The National Commission for Women, a statutory body of the Indian government, is calling for a report from the police on last week’s so-called “honor killing” of a teenage Indian couple by the woman’s family. According to the Times of India, the commission took “suo motu cognizance” in the case, which means that they cognizantly […]
A new emergency contraceptive, ellaOne, is a step closer to approval in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) medical advisors unanimously agreed that it is safe and effective in preventing pregnancy for five days after unprotected sex by preventing the release of an egg. It is planned to be marketed under the […]
The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled yesterday that a fetus cannot be legally separated from the pregnant woman carrying it, and thus cannot be treated as a separate legal person. In the case, Ina Cochran v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (PDF), Cochran was indicted for first-degree wanton endangerment after both she and her newborn child tested positive […]
On Monday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton released the State Department’s 10th Annual Trafficking in Persons Report, a 373-page document which outlines the prevalence of global trafficking and assesses the world’s effort to implement procedures of prevention, protection, and prosecution. In the report, countries are ranked in tiers based on their adherence to the Trafficking […]
