27 March 2015

Capitol Watch: No place off limits for fretful Kansas and Missouri lawmakers

Editorial Press
Kansas City Star

Credit: http://www.directzine4dems.com/872cartoons/anti-discrimination.jpg

please press: http://www.kansascity.com

Idaho Rep. Paul Shepherd's Awkward Invitation, His Website Makeover and Bizarre Reference to LGBT Advocates as Slaveowners

George Prentice
Boise Weekly

Credit: http://www.clydefitchreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Roadside.jpg

please press: http://www.boiseweekly.com

WILLIAMS INSTITUTE PLANNING A MASSIVE STUDY OF TRANS HEALTH NEEDS

Charles Pulliam-Moore
Towleroad

Credit: http://static1.squarespace.com/static/52bcb481e4b038e4d94a761d/t/52e7180ae4b024866c162e4b/1390876682843/TransHealthcareNow-1.jpg

please press: http://www.towleroad.com

Sweden Is Adding a Gender-Neutral Pronoun to Its Dictionary

YEZMIN VILLARREAL

Shewired

Credit:

http://25.media.tumblr.com/658787ed955af6c130a09fba02c77bb4/tumblr_mfb1

qySIfD1rctihmo1_r2_1280.jpg

please press: http://www.shewired.com

Arkansas Senate approves religious protection bill

Andrew Demillo

Press-Telegram

Credit: http://www.recordnet.com/storyimage/SR/20141031/NEWS/141039900/AR/0/AR-141039900.jpg&MaxW=650

please press: http://www.presstelegram.com

ezs note: Arkansans - it's not too late to make a difference! Call or e-mail Gov. Asa Hutchinson and tell him to say NO to this odious bill!

26 March 2015

Republican Governor Mike Pence Passes Anti-Gay 'Religious Freedom' Law in Indiana

Selena Hill
Latin Post

Credit: http://media.cagle.com/82/2013/11/11/139987_600.jpg

please press: http://www.latinpost.com

"Passion" shows LGBT choral music's evolving role

Eric Jansen

KALW

Credit: https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQAODTKtoNbxfqzy&w=158&h=158&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiversitychoir.co.uk%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Flogo.png&cfs=1&upscale=1

please press: http://kalw.org

Attorney General Reportedly Moving To Block ‘Death Penalty For Gays’ Ballot Initiative

Staff
CBS/San Francisco area

Credit: http://davidmixner.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c90b153ef019103ed8b47970c-pi

please press: http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com

Renee Richards still amazed she broke transgender taboo

Staff
AM New York

Credit: http://filmguide.lafilmfest.com/tixSYS/2011/templates/images/filmstills/9129.jpg

please press: http://www.amny.com

Virginia School Board Votes To Force Transgender Student Out Of Bathrooms

ZACK FORD
ThinkProgress

Credit: http://stafford.hartwood.schoolfusion.us/modules/slideshow/images/6dl3o178.jpg

please press: http://thinkprogress.org

24 March 2015

Russia Loses Bid To Deny Benefits To Spouses Of Gay U.N. Staff

Staff
ideastream

Credit: http://thepoliticalcarnival.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/GOP-Putin-envy-russia-Steve-Sack-cartoon-via-Star-Tribune-dot-com.jpg

please press: http://www.ideastream.org

Transgender Teen Who Was Named High School Homecoming King Commits Suicide at 18

BRETT MALEC
E!

Credit: http://goqnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/blakebrockington-crowned.jpg

please press: http://www.eonline.com

ezs note: Please get help. Please.

Please.

Please.

PLEASE!!!

Why are lawmakers being morality police?

Editorial Board
Sun Sentinel

Credit: http://media.cagle.com/17/2012/03/07/107737_600.jpg

please press: http://www.sun-sentinel.com

My Transgender Life: Explain It to Me Like I'm a 6-Year-Old

Grace Anne Stevens
The Huffington Post

Credit: http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2013/news/130708/nikki-768.jpg

please press: http://www.huffingtonpost.com

Dallas death points to dangers of black-market cosmetic work

AP
news-sentinel.com

Credit: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/02/12/article-2557483-1B6A816400000578-126_634x576.jpg

please press: http://www.news-sentinel.com

ezs note: Gee, I really don't see what the fuss is. Sure, what might be involved is horrible disfigurement, excruciating pain, possibly death... but what the heck?

Put these vermin in jail!!!

23 March 2015

Legislator files bills prohibiting gender neutral housing, unisex public bathrooms

ASHLEY JOST
Columbia Daily Tribune

Credit: http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/columbiatribune.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/c8/3c828ee0-bc5c-5383-83e7-821e712b3adc/551056fb968f8.image.jpg

please press: http://www.columbiatribune.com

New Yorkers pushing for laws that protect the rights of transgender people

Staff
WSYR

Credit: http://www.passmasstransbill.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Patriot-Ledger-cartoon.jpg

please press: http://www.localsyr.com

Surveys show highest LGBT populations are in cities out West

Tarringo Vaughan
examiner.com

Credit: http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/6a0dfc87163858af9b692aa48658d270317e474f/c=0-38-800-640&r=x404&c=534x401/local/-/media/PalmSprings/NG/2013/10/03/tdsout10coverinside3.jpg

please press: http://www.examiner.com

Chicago Activists Call For Justice In Rekia Boyd Shooting As Trial Date Nears

Staff
Progress Illinois

Credit: http://images.mikhaela.net/uploaded_images/boil070621civilrights-784871.gif

please press: http://progressillinois.com

In defense of the Latter-Day Saints

Credit: http://assets2.vice.com/images/content-images/2015/01/28/mormons-church-supports-gay-rights-on-one-condition-128-body-image-1422478259.jpg

Every once and awhile, I will get an anti-Mormon spiel. It's usually from an agnostic or atheist group, and, shit, they've got some pretty good - and very funny - stuff. You can tell that even I get a good laugh out of it.

Well, except for one thing. It's really not that hilarious.

Do you remember that on South Park a kid named Gary shows up? He's a Mormon, and so is his family. As the story unfolds, Gary's parents explain the beginnings of the Mormon faith. And, yes, the story has holes in it. Sometimes, deep holes. Trey Parker and Matt Stone really pull no punches about this. But at the end of the story, Gary surprisingly comes out on top. Do the years portrayed by the Joseph Smith story have problems? Sure they do. But when Gary considers Smith himself, he still loves him because of the strong family he has provided.

If you are questioning my belief in the Mormon faith, let me put that to rest right now. I'm not a Mormon. Never have been. And unless an earthquake occurs (and maybe not even then), I won't be. (For one thing, I adore coffee.) However, considering some of the antics put forth by other religions, the Mormons have been, well, admirable. They could have taken the easy road and told us to go screw ourselves. But they didn't. They sat down with us and worked out an agreement they could all live with.

C'mon folks. We can do better than this. We can guttersnipe till the cows come home, or learn to live peaceably with our neighbors.

We're better than this. Much better.

22 March 2015

Homophobic attacks increase in seemingly gay-friendly Brazil

VINCENT BEVINS
Los angeles times

Credit: http://www.autostraddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/crosses_brazil_hate_crimes-640x416.jpg

please press: http://www.latimes.com

HRW urges European leaders to raise concerns over Kyrgyzstan

Dominic Yobbi

Jurist

Credit: http://www.hdwallpapersinn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Kyrgyzstans_Mountain_And_Road.jpg

please press: http://jurist.org

Bob Jones Apologizes for Saying Gays Should be Stoned (35 Years Later)

Daniel Politi
Slate

Credit: https://spfaust.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/1.jpg

please press: http://www.slate.com

LGBT rights, religious freedom and the Utah miracle

Charles C. Haynes

The Spectrum

Credit: http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/3b97656924db6f27831ab62626659a0eaee58657/c=0-26-299-425&r=537&c=0-0-534-712/local/-/media/MountainHome/2014/06/17/charlesc.haynes.jpg

please press: http://www.thespectrum.com

Watch: 13-year-old boy comes out as trans with amazing speech (UK)

Nick Duffy
Pink News

Credit: http://i.huffpost.com/gen/2736522/images/o-TRANS-TEEN-facebook.jpg

please press: http://www.pinknews.co.uk

21 March 2015

Transgender in Cincinnati: Ashton Dotson gets a job

Anne Saker
cincinnati.com

Credit: http://www.diamondglobal.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/food-service-recruiters-300-223x300.jpg

please press: http://www.cincinnati.com

Survey: Salt Lake City ranks 7th highest for LGBT population

AP
greenwichtime.com

Credit: http://colorlines.com/assets_c/2012/06/mormons-utah-gay-pride-thumb-640xauto-6144.jpg

please press: http://www.greenwichtime.com

Albany Law School hosts LGBT Law Day

Brittany Horn

timesunion.com

Credit: http://ww1.hdnux.com/photos/17/26/11/4022876/7/628x471.jpg

please press: http://www.timesunion.com

Wave of anti-LGBT bills in 2015 state legislative sessions

Staff
LGBT Weekly

Credit: http://www.gaycalgary.com/images/articles/4465_52NZEGHI.jpg

please press: http://lgbtweekly.com

New Haven pastor: Presbyterian Church vote to allow same-sex marriage a win for equality

Ed Stannard
New Haven Register

Credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/archive/9/98/20140524194814!Presbyterian_Church_(U.S.A.).png

please press: http://www.nhregister.com

Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan

Credit: http://www.ilo.org/dyn/media/images/watermark/e2922.jpg

19 March 2015

Protection for LGBT seniors headed to Board of Supervisors

Erin Allday
SFGATE

Credit: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/15/article-0-04AA4AF90000044D-275_306x423.jpg

please press: http://www.sfgate.com

Judge says transgender man has plausible case he was mistreated at hospital

Randy Furst
Star Tribune

Credit: http://www.newsworks.org/images/stories/flexicontent/l_bullying600-400.jpg

please press: http://www.startribune.com

California may ban discrimination against transgender jurors

AP
Bakersfield Now

Credit: https://redtreetimes.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/jury-duty.jpg

please press: http://www.bakersfieldnow.com

MN GOPers tout anti-transgender bills in emails to constituents

Andy Birkey
Twin Cities Daily Planet

Credit: https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3148/2402088846_c723487389.jpg

please press: http://www.tcdailyplanet.net

Previous probation revoked for man charged in murder of transgender woman

Staff

KLTV

Credit: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/02/11/2593F56B00000578-2949682-image-m-33_1423685148486.jpg

please press: http://www.kltv.com

18 March 2015

Anti-Glenn protests about more than tax proposal

Tori Phelps & Kylie Wojciechowski
The Valley Vanguard

Credit: http://assets.dnainfo.com/generated/photo/2013/06/trans-people-rally-against-discrimination-13724583134401.jpg/larger.jpg

please press: http://www.valleyvanguardonline.com

Transgender rights: Planet Fitness incident overblown? (Canada)

Jillian Page
Montreal Gazette

Credit: http://www.krashcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PlanetFitness.jpg

please press: http://montrealgazette.com

ezs note: If you are a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, or ally person, see if there is a Planet Fitness near you. Normally I don't plug anyone, but Planet Fitness puts their money where their mouth is. Plus, you'll look great!