Blogs

We are closely following the election in Maine.  A video was posted by an 86 year old WWII veteran.  His words and actions speak volumes for Equality.

 

This November, the legality of same-sex marriage will be on the ballot in Maine.   A successful "yes" vote on Question 1 would repeal the law passed last May granting gay and lesbian couples the right to marry. 

It's been an exciting and perhaps game-changing week for LGBT rights. This past weekend, of course, the National Equality March brought thousands to Washington, D.C. to stand up for equal rights. Sunday's march came on the heels of President Obama's Saturday night appearance at a Human Rights Campaign gala dinner, where he reiterated campaign pledges reiterating promises to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy.

We were delighted to see this blog post from an MBA student at the University of North Carolina recently. In her post, Alicia Conway is talking about things she sees on campus that makes her proud to be part of her school, which includes:

Mostly, though, I’d have to say that my pride stems from the fact that everywhere I turned throughout the day, I was greeted by a bright and welcoming shirt like this one:

There's very exciting news on the marriage equality front! Yesterday, a group of Congressmen and Congresswomen announced the launch of the Respect for Marriage Act -- a piece of legislation that would overturn the Defense of Marriage Act, and take a significant step in acheiving marriage equality. In a press release issued by Freedom to Marry, bill co-sponsor Jerry Nadler (D-NY) is quoted as saying, “When DOMA was passed in 1996, its full harm may not have been apparent to all Members of Congress because same-sex couples were not yet able to marry.

We're proud to announce a new campaign today for the fall semester, involving college students who want to make a difference in the ongoing campaign for LGBT equality. The Fine By Me T-shirt campaign, as this release details, is ramping up for the Fall 2009 semester by making the "Gay? Fine By Me" and "Gay Marriage?

On Thursday evening, the Austin City Council passed a resolution adding to the city's non-discrimination policy, which already requires contracting companies to have a non-discrimination policy including sexual orientation and gender identity. Companies applying for a city contract will now have to submit a copy of their policy. The resolution also included a provision requiring the city manager to amend all economic loan programs and incentives for businesses.

This morning's Austin American-Statesman includes the voice of Atticus Circle founder Anne Wynne, who wrote a response to an editorial that ran Monday in the same paper from National Review columnist Kathryn Jean Lopez. Lopez's editorial asserted that the momentum toward gay marriage is shifting away from acceptance.

The Human Rights Campaign is conducting a short survey of those who are affected, or who know someone who is affected, by the Defense of Marriage Act, signed by former President Clinton in 1996. The survey does not take long and includes the ability to share your story and opinions on the act, which the HRC will then share with lawmakers. It is important that we urge Congress and President Obama to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

Air Force Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach is the latest of a long line of honorable soldiers who may be discharged due to his sexual orientation, unless Air Force Secretary Michael Donley rejects the review board’s April recommendation. LTC Fehrenbach, who has been charged with damaging “good order and discipline,” has served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bosnia during the course of his eighteen-year career and has earned nine Air Medals, including one in 2003 for heroism under fire during an enemy ambush in Baghdad.