Tag: LGBT Politics

Gillibrand: Open Adoption To Gays, Lesbians

Ross

New York’s junior senator is pushing federal legislation to lift the ban on gay couples and individuals adopting children.

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Op-Ed: Shepards Say Obama Will “Move This Country Forward”

Brett

http://www.advocate.com/Politics/Commentary/Oped_Shepards_Say_Obama_Will_Move_This_Country_Forward/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AdvocatecomDailyNews+%28Advocate.com+Daily+News%29

The parents of Matthew Shepard reflect on what it’s meant that, two years ago today, the president signed a hate crimes bill that invokes the name of their son who was murdered.

No hate crime prevention laws existed nationally or in our state prior to his death, and though we were grieving, we knew our family’s story had to be told. We didn’t want a single family to have to look at the empty chair around the dinner table or at family holidays. You aren’t supposed to have to bury a child, and we wanted to make sure we did everything we could so that other parents didn’t have to. If we could help save just one family from the pain that we still experience, then silence was not an option.

RI First Lady To Perform Same-Sex Civil Union

Brett

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/10/22/RI_First_Lady_to_Perform_Same_Sex_Civil_Union/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AdvocatecomDailyNews+%28Advocate.com+Daily+News%29

The first lady of Rhode Island, Stephanie Chafee, will officiate a civil union ceremony between two gay friends, reports local ABC6.

The grooms-to-be, Ron Margolin and Lynn McKinney, have been together for 32 years and are friends and supporters of the Ocean State’s governor, Lincoln Chafee.

SLDN To Sue Over Military Benefits For Spouses Of Gay Troops

Ross

LAS VEGAS — The gay advocacy group that successfully lobbied to repeal the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy plans to file a lawsuit in federal court by the end of October that would challenge the constitutionality of federal laws that make married same-sex couples ineligible for the same benefits as their straight counterparts.

The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network will argue that the federal Defense of Marriage Act violates the Fifth Amendment right to due process, in what the group says will be the first case of its kind. “That has never been done before,” Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of SLDN, told The Huffington Post.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/17/gay-military-benefits-sldn_n_1011874.html

entrepreneurshipEDGE: Lead Workshop 2011

Brett

http://entrepreneurshipedge.org/leadership/lead

 

Each year, we focus on a specific campaign and then administer a workshop – called the Lead Workshop – that focuses on that campaign while also teaching leadership and community activism skills.

In 2011, we are focusing on bullying against LGBT youth and suicides, and thus aim to raise awareness of the It Gets Better Project.  The Lead Workshop takes place in cities in LGBT Centers (as we will be working on a LGBT-focused campaign) or fun and workshop-friendly places throughout the United States and develops each participant’s leadership and community activism skills through training and practical experience – with the participants’ work on the It Gets Better Project – and so, participants will use social media skills learned to help generate awareness and support for it.

For the Lead Workshop, please click on the location you are interested in for more information:

Providence, Rhode Island

Orono, Maine

San Francisco, CA

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

New York

Jared Polis Announces Birth Of Son, Becoming First Openly Gay Parent In Congress

Brett

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/30/jared-polis-openly-gay-parent_n_989422.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

 

WASHINGTON — Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) is a proud father of a newborn baby, making him the first openly gay parent in the U.S. Congress.

On Friday, Polis and his partner, Marlon Reis, sent out an announcement about the arrival of their son, Caspian Julius, who is 8 pounds, 12 ounces.

“Baby and parents are doing well, baby has learned to cry already! No gifts please, just nice thoughts for Caspian, humankind, the planet, and the universe!” read the announcement.

Polis and Reis have declined to comment on whether it was a surrogate pregnancy or an adoption.

 

“We are so thrilled for the congressman and his partner,” said Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of the Family Equality Council, an organization that advocates for LGBT families. “Little Caspian Julius is so lucky to have two wonderful and loving dads. On behalf of America’s growing number of LGBT parents, we want to send the family our warmest wishes.”

10 Races to Watch this Election Day

Brett

http://www.gaypolitics.com/2011/10/11/10-races-to-watch-this-election-day/

 

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund today announced its list of “10 Races to Watch” for 2011. Each of the candidates on the list faces a general election November 8.

“These are exciting and even historic races,” said Shawn Werner, the Victory Fund’s director of campaign services. “In each case a victory would mean a real step forward for a local LGBT community, and some of these will be very competitive up until Election Day.”

“You hear some call 2011 an ‘off year’ for politics, but that’s wrong.  We’ve endorsed 75 candidates this year, largely in municipal elections.  These local races are incredibly important.  We don’t just win equality nationally or even statewide.  We win it every day, city by city and town by town,” said Werner.