LGBTQ news and entertainment
From GLAAD:
Tomorrow, 1400 members of the Boy Scouts’ National Council will converge in Dallas to vote on a resolution critical to the Boy Scouts’ longstanding ban on gay members.
James Dale — an openly gay former Eagle Scout whose membership was revoked by the BSA — has a special request:
Show your support for equality in the Boy Scouts: Change your profile pic now.
Now more than ever we all must speak up about why gay youth and parents should be able to participate in the Boy Scouts.
Appearing in the Denver Post today:
Scouts For Equality Co-Founder, Zach Wahls, explains how the ban on gay Scouts and parents personally affected his experience in Scouting.
The Advocate is reporting a petition was delivered Tuesday morning to the Boy Scouts of America’s board members, urging them to change the national policy barring openly gay scouts and troop leaders.
Both gay and straight scouts and leaders delivered a bundle of several petitions, totaling 1.4 million signatures from Americans who weighed in on the policy, according to GLAAD.
The petitions were handed off to board members at the BSA’s Texas headquarters where the policy is one of the chief concerns during a three-day conference.
An announcement is expected Wednesday regarding any change of policy.
Boise, Idaho’s City Council took a big step forward last night, passing an ordinance protecting LGBT people from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodation before a packed house that rose to gave it a standing ovation when the vote was over.
Writes the Statesman:
Following unanimous passage of the ordinance, the standing-room-only crowd in the State Capitol’s west wing auditorium stood and cheered. Jordan and fellow councilwoman Lauren McLean, who spearheaded the effort to draft the ordinance, said it is something Boise has lacked and will help the city’s standing with companies considering whether to open new establishments here. Churches, private organizations such as The Boy Scouts of America and other governments operating in the city are exempt from the law, which takes effect Jan. 1.
Activists are now working towards a statewide bill.
The Human Rights Campaign has released a new Municipal Equality Index designed to rate cities much like the HRC’s Corporate Equality Index.
The index rates 137 cities, including the country’s 50 largest cities, the 50 state capitals, and 75 municipalities with a high proportion of same-sex couples.
From ThinkProgress: The index measured cities according to non-discrimination policies and partnership recognition, as well as LGBT inclusion in civil services and law enforcement. Eleven of the cities scored a 100 percent rating, while 25 percent had at least 80 points. Here are the cities with the perfect scores:
- Long Beach, California
- Los Angeles, California
- San Diego, California
- San Francisco, California
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Cambridge, Massachusetts
- St. Louis, Missouri
- New York, New York
- Portland, Oregon
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Seattle, Washington
ThinkProgress points out that the index doesn’t necessarily rate a city’s “welcoming climate” but helps to point out where cities are making an effort to be inclusive of LGBT folks. And, it goes without saying, inclusiveness and equality makes for better business for attracting business talent and economic growth.
Check out the index at Human Rights Campaign.
Last week, ten-year-old Sophia Bailey Lugh wrote a letter to President Barack Obama in which she told the president how happy she is that he agrees with her on the topic of marriage equality. You see, young Sophia has two dads. She went on to ask the president an important question:
I am so glad that you agree two men can love each other because I have two dads and they love each other, but at school kids think that it’s gross and weird, but it really hurts my heart and feelings…. If you were me and you had two dads that loved each other and kids at school teased you about it, what would you do?
In the middle of campaigning to be reelected, the president took time to share a little advice with a little girl:
Dear Sophia,
Thank you for writing me such a thoughtful letter about your family. Reading it made me proud to be your president and even more hopeful about the future of our nation.
In America, no two families look the same. We celebrate this diversity. And we recognize that whether you have two dads or one mom what matters above all is the love we show one another. You are very fortunate to have two parents who care deeply for you. They are lucky to have such an exceptional daughter in you.
Our differences unite us. You and I are blessed to live in a country where we are born equal no matter what we look like on the outside, where we grow up, or who our parents are. A good rule is to treat others the way you hope they will treat you. Remind your friends at school about this rule if they say something that hurts your feelings.
Thanks again for taking the time to write me. I’m honored to have your support and inspired by your compassion. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to dinner, but I’ll be sure to tell Sasha and Malia you say hello.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
I think that’s wonderful. Think how this will impact a ten year old girl. Fabulous.
One more thing – imagine if she had sent this letter to a “President Romney”?…
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“Look back, and then look forward…”
This beautifully touching short film shot by UK director Mike Buonaiuto, the award-winning director of the ‘Homecoming’ marriage equality video commissioned by the Coalition for Equal Marriage, questions the inequality of gay families as part of a new campaign called ‘Invisible Parents’ from the activist group AllOut.
The film shows a daughter sharing memories with her two dads, and asks, “Why isn’t their family legally recognized in the majority of Europe?”
On this National Coming Out Day, it’s time to stop being bystanders and start pursuing more nurturing, welcoming environments that draw people out of their closets. And for those who are feeling trapped, as these environments begin to change, it’s time for the courage to push the door open from the inside and step out of the shadows.
“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.” -Harvey Fierstein
Gay conservative law Professor Dale Carpenter conducted a survey of nearly 500 of his fellow constitutional law professors asking their views on marriage equality and the Constitution.
The results? Federal marriage discrimination is overwhelmingly viewed as unconstitutional, and a solid majority believe state discrimination is unconstitutional as well:
QUESTION 3: “Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) forbids the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages legalized in the states. As a matter of federal constitutional law, do you believe the federal government may refuse to recognize same-sex marriages legalized in the states?”
Yes (DOMA Section 3 is constitutional) — 16%
No (DOMA Section 3 is unconstitutional) — 69%
Not sure — 11%
No Answer/Other — 3%
QUESTION 4: “As a matter of federal constitutional law, do you believe that states *must* allow same-sex couples to marry?”
Yes — 54%
No — 28%
Not Sure — 13%
No Answer/Other — 5%
I would guess that the numbers drop a bit in Question 4 because most conservative scholars view marriage laws as a “states’ rights” issue. Still a strong majority – 54% – say state level discrimination is unconstitutional.
(Source)
