Tag: LGBT rights

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Gallup Poll: Approval For Same-Sex Marriage Reaches New High

Gallup Polling reports that support for same-sex marriage has reached all-time highs among both political parties, which overall support now at 60%. This is up from last year’s “all-time high” of 55%.

The numbers break down like this: Democrats at 76% support, independents at 64% and Republicans at 37%.

That 37% for Republicans is up 7% from last year.

Also significant – last year, just 48% of Americans aged 50-64 supported legally recognizing gay marriage. But in 2015, this figure has climbed to a majority of 54%.

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Las Vegas: 10th Annual Human Rights Campaign Gala On May 9th

Friendly reminder that the Las Vegas Chapter of the Human Rights Campaign will host it’s 10th Annual Gala at Aria Resort and Casino on May 9th.

This year’s event will honor Assemblyman James Healy with the Equality in the Community Award, and May Reyes will receive the Ally for Equality Award.

Also attending will be Chad Griffin, president of the HRC.

Click here for ticket information.

And click here to see what the HRC is doing here in Las Vegas for the LGBT community.

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Nevada Assembly Votes Down Anti-Transgender Bill

Last night, a bill that would have forced transgender students to use bathrooms that correspond to their “biological sex” failed by a vote of 22-20.

The measure, AB375, was strongly opposed by the Democrats in the chamber who said that it would lead to more bullying of trans students.

Transgender teens already face much higher rates of suicide.

Proponents of the bill said the legislation was important to protect the privacy of students in locker room and bathrooms.

Five Republicans broke ranks and voted with the Democrats against the bill.

Gov. Sandoval had indicated earlier that he was concerned about the legislation because it “targets students based on their gender expression, or potentially sanctions discrimination.”

Today is the deadline for legislation to pass out of their house of origin, which means the bill is effectively dead and cannot be revived.

Good.

This bill would have forced, for instance, transgender females – who present as females – to use a male bathroom. Inversely, transgender males would have had to utilize the women’s bathroom.

So, imagine this scenario:

This is who you would see in the ladies room. How do you think this would go over?

Michael C. Hughes was assigned “female” at birth.
He would be forced to use the ladies’ room.

Aydian Ethan Dowling was assigned the sex of female at birth.
Aydian would be forced to use the ladies room.
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Matt Baume On The Next President And The LGBT Community

Folks vote in a presidential elections based on a multitude of issues. Or, sometimes, it’s whether or not they think they like a particular candidate.

But for LGBT folks, the next election could see the progress on our rights continue, or be rolled back. It depends on the winner.

Matt Baume looks into his crystal ball to explain what’s at stake, and what we could stand to lose if the next president doesn’t support the civil rights gains of the last 8 years.

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New Reuters Poll Shows Strong Support For Same-Sex Marriage

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows strong support for a number of LGBT issues:

• 52% of Americans support same-sex marriage versus 32% who oppose.

• 54% say it’s wrong for businesses to refuse services to LGBTs versus 28% who say businesses should have a “license to discriminate.”

• 55% say businesses shouldn’t be able to refuse to hire certain people or members of certain groups (like LGBT folk), while 27% say businesses should be able to discriminate in terms of employment based on religious beliefs.

• 55% support all states recognizing same-sex marriages – even in the states that don’t permit such unions.

• When it comes to how we get to marriage equality nationwide, 34% feel the U.S. Supreme Court should decide; 22% feel the rights should be decided at state level via voter referendum; 11% say state lawmakers should lead the way; and only 8% feel Congress should handle the issue.

For more on the poll results, click here.

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Oklahoma: Democrat Files Amendment Requiring Businesses Post Notice Of Refusal To Serve Gays

Oklahoma state Rep. Emily Virgin

This is my favorite thing today.

As Oklahoma continues to try and thwart the progress of marriage equality in the state, State Rep. Chuck Strohm (R) has introduced the “Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act” which would allow allow businesses to deny services to gays and lesbians if it was “against the person’s religious beliefs.”

As an amendment to that legislation, state Rep. Emily Virgin would like to require businesses that do not provide public accommodations to LGBT folks – based on their religious beliefs – to post that declaration visible for the public to see.

“Any person not wanting to participate in any of the activities set forth in subsection A of this section based on sexual orientation, gender identity or race of either party to the marriage shall post notice of such refusal in a manner clearly visible to the public in all places of business, including websites,” the amendment states.

“The notice may refer to the person’s religious beliefs, but shall state specifically which couples the business does not serve by referring to a refusal based upon sexual orientation, gender identity or race.”

The Gayly noted that Virgin’s amendment “would save minority couples from facing the indignity of being refused service.”

In related news, House Bill 1125, by Rep. Todd Russ (R), passed the state House today by a vote of 67-24. The law would abolish the government issuance of marriage certificates.

Instead, the law would require those officiating marriage ceremonies to file after-the-fact “certificates of marriage” with court clerks’ offices. Those not choosing a religious ceremony could file affidavits of common law marriage.

Opponents of HB1125 say the federal government could refuse to acknowledge these proposed ‘marriage certificates,’ thus risking the loss of hundreds of federal benefits for marriage couples.

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Matt Baume: Thank You For Being A Friend?

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.

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Twitter: #WeJustNeedToPee Campaign For Transgender Bathroom Rights

Does this person look like they belong in the Ladies room?

In recent months, several “bathroom bills” have been filed in state legislatures in the attempt to keep transgender folks out of their gender-expressed bathrooms. This is all done, of course, with the scary premise that straight men would ‘dress up’ as women to achieve access to watching women use the facilities.

The hashtag #wejustneedtopee has been around for a while, having started in Canada. But it recently took a new turn as transgender activist Michael C. Hughes has begun a “selfie” component to the Twitter meme to show how silly the laws would be.

Take a look below at just a few of the tweets in the past few days. It makes it clear what the point is…