LGBTQ news and entertainment
Matt Baume chats with his “roommates” about all those anti-gay politicians who always seem to have “gay friends.”
No politician who says “but I have gay friends!” actually has any. So why do they keep saying it? Join four friends as they gather around the cheesecake to gab and gossip about the nature of friendship, sneaky lawmakers, and a certain notorious retirement community.
The result of a joint effort by LGBT activists and the Mormon Church, the Utah legislature has passed a bill – SB 296 – which will provide some protections for LGBT folks in the areas of employment and housing.
Last week, Utah’s Senate passed the measure by a vote of 23-5, and last night’s vote in the House was a huge victory at 65-10.
Via Gay Star News:
The so-called ‘Utah compromise’ protects LGBT people when it comes to employment and housing. However, religious organizations are exempt. This means that they could still fire someone for being gay or transgender. If they operate housing schemes – through colleges, charities or other affiliates – they could also deny them accommodation.
Gov. Gary Herbert is expected to sign the bill tonight.
The legislation does not cover goods and services. Another bill, HB322, is headed to the state Senate where it looks to face an uphill battle as it basically outlines a “license to discriminate” that we’ve seen in other states in regard to public accommodations. That bill passed in the House 54-21.
Also, the House voted on SB 297 which would allow employees in county offices to “opt-out” of performing same-sex marriages, but would require that another employee would be available to officiate the wedding. That measure passed also, by a vote of 66-9.
By a vote of 23-5, Utah’s GOP-controlled state Senate advanced an anti-discrimination bill that would protect LGBT folks regarding housing and employment, but would also allow religious people to express their beliefs. The bill has the support of the Mormon Church.
The legislation now moves to the state House.
Republican Gov. Gary Herbert has indicated he will sign the bill should it reach his desk.
Our intrepid Matt Baume brings us this handy-dandy Field Guide for spotting and stopping the sneaky new homophobic laws cloaking themselves from coast to coast.
They’re stealthily stealing civil rights from everyone — gay and straight. Don’t wake up to discover all of your civil rights have been gobbled up in the night!
Part 2 continues with ways to stand up to the menacing monsters.
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| Annie Lennox sings from her latest album on PBS – April 3rd. |
Some stories you may have missed:
• Do not miss Annie Lennox: Nostalgia Live in Concert, featuring Great American Songbook classics from her Grammy-nominated album Nostalgia – April 3, at 10 p.m. on PBS.
• You look hotter after one drink. Two drinks? Not so much…
• Reports about Hillary Clinton’s use of private email may be deceiving.
• Conservative Texas state Rep. Rick Miller introduced legislation to bar cities from adopting LGBT protections, and his gay son isn’t happy about it.
• Trevor Moore’s country music parody – “Gays Got Married” – details every nightmare the LGBT haters have ever uttered about marriage equality with hysterical results. Watch below:
The Charlotte City Council fell short last night in passing legislation that would have added sexual orientation and sexual identity to the city’s protected classes.
From the Charlotte Observer:
After a contentious meeting on Monday, Charlotte City Council voted down the most controversial ordinance it has considered in years, a nondiscrimination proposal that would have added sexual orientation and gender identity to protected categories.
The measure failed 6-5, after a marathon meeting that featured hours of emotional debate and comments from supporters and opponents. Council members Michael Barnes, Kenny Smith, LaWana Mayfield, Ed Driggs, John Autry and Greg Phipps voted against it.
Before the final vote, council members had removed the section of the ordinance that would have allowed transgender people to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with. That issue drew the most vigorous opposition from dozens of speakers.
The city council of Charlotte, North Carolina, is considering today whether to add five characteristics – marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression – to protected classes already listed in the city’s public accommodations.
From Charlotte’s WFAE:
First, it would make it illegal in Charlotte for taxi drivers, restaurants, or any commercial business from discriminating against customers who are gay, lesbian or transgendered.
Seventeen states and more than 200 cities and counties across the country have enacted similar laws. It makes sense for Charlotte to do the same, says Chris Sgro, executive director of the gay and transgender rights group Equality NC.
After all, he says Charlotte is one of the 20 largest cities in the country, “and of the top 20 population cities in the country,” he says, “all of them but Memphis, Jacksonville and Charlotte have these protections.”
Under Charlotte’s proposed ordinance, companies found to discriminate would be subject to a fine and could be barred for two years from getting any city contracts.
Opponents say passing the ordinance isn’t fair because it would mean they would be prohibited from discriminating against gays, and that businesses might have to treat all customers fairly. Apparently, the act of baking a cake or selling flowers for a wedding now constitutes “promoting” same-sex marriage. I wonder if providing a cake for a second or third marriage (we know how the Bible feels about divorce) also promotes un-Biblical acts?
You can listen to the city council meeting live here. But, I’ll warn you, the anti-gay folks are certain to get ugly.
I’ll post Twitter updates as the evening goes along.
Nearly all of the first 30 speakers are speaking against #cltequality ordinance. Most don't live in #clt. Most associated w/ Benhams.— QNotes (@qnotescarolinas) March 2, 2015
Nearly all the white signs are in favor of #cltequality. David Benham up next as speaker. He's from Concord. Not #clt pic.twitter.com/gYh1NnuHiN— QNotes (@qnotescarolinas) March 2, 2015
Matt Baume (of the regularly scheduled Marriage News Watch videos) explains:
“Scheming villains thirst to rollback the progress our nation has made toward full LGBT equality. But, could they actually do it? Insidious laws like Arkansas’ innocent-sounding “Intrastate Commerce Improvement Act” (sb202) may provide the roadmap.”
With a healthy helping of humor, Baume serves up how the haters look to still discriminate.
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| Wyoming Welcomes You (or not, depending on how you look at it) |
By a vote of 33 to 26, the Wyoming House of Representatives killed a bill which would have made discrimination on the basis of sexual identity or gender identity illegal in the state.
The legislation had already passed in the Wyoming Senate.
Anti-discrimination laws serve dual purposes for many states. One, the laws help discourage discrimination. That’s a good thing.
Second, they send a signal to corporations about the work environment in the state helping corporations attract and recruit talent.
Opponents of the bill expressed concern that folks wouldn’t be able to hire and fire based on sexual orientation. And that folks right to expound on the sins of gays would be curtailed.
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| Via Cher’s Twitter Account |
Cher weighs in on SB 202, the Arkansas bill which will block cities and municipalities from enacting any kind of LGBT protections in the state.
Gov. Hutchinson has said he won’t sign the legislation that is currently sitting on his desk, but by ignoring the bill it becomes law tomorrow.