Tag: South Dakota

Posted on

Podcast: Where The Bears Are, SCOTUS U-Turns On Trans Rights, LOGO’s “Fire Island”

In this episode of The Randy Report podcast:

• Hunky Ian Parks of Where The Bears Are chats on the upcoming 6th season of the popular web series.

Where the Bears Are is a comedy/mystery web series that has accumulated over 23 MILLION VIEWS over five seasons and won the “BEST GAY WEB SERIES” award from several LGBT media outlets.

The show – described as a cross between The Golden Girls and Murder She Wrote – features four Bears living in the hills of Silverlake forever finding themselves in the middle of a murder mystery. There’s constant tongue in cheek humor and big, hairy men thrown in for eye candy.

The show has a world-wide fan base and the creators/stars have been flown to Europe, Australia, and Mexico.

The Bears promise Season 6 to be one of their most ambitious yet featuring a spy plot line, a murder AND the return of one of their most notorious villains!

Hit the play button below to listen to Ian talk on the new season – click here for more info about Where The Bears Are.

Plus:

• A new reality show from LOGO, “Fire Island,” focuses on beach life on Fire Island.

• The Supreme Court u-turns on hearing an important case regarding transgender rights.

• South Dakota earns the dubious distinction of passing the first anti-LGBT law in this legislative session.

Posted on

South Dakota Governor Signs Anti-LGBT Legislation Into Law

Deeply disappointing.

From the ACLU:

Today, Governor Daugaard signed Senate Bill 149 into law, making South Dakota the first state in 2017 to pass anti-LGBT legislation. The bill will allow taxpayer funded agencies to refuse to provide any service, including adoption or foster care services, on the basis on the agency’s religious or moral convictions.

The American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota has led the opposition to SB 149 through both lobbying efforts and by organizing affected communities. In a state facing a labor and talent shortage, this bill has sparked national interest and local questions as to whether South Dakota welcomes diversity and values the rights of individual citizens.

This bill was opposed by local and national child welfare experts that sent letters in opposition including The Adoption Exchange, Child Welfare League of America, National Association of Social Workers, and Voice for Adoption, as well as family law experts, South Dakota pediatricians, and local and national LGBT rights organizations including the Movement Advancement Project, the Human Rights Campaign, and more.

Posted on

South Dakota Governor Vetoes Anti-Transgender “Bathroom Bill”

South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard

Governor Dennis Daugaard of South Dakota has vetoed House Bill 1008, which would have made South Dakota the first state to ban transgender students from using school restrooms that correspond with their gender identity.

“Thank you Governor Daugaard for meeting with transgender people to see through their eyes that they are our friends, family, and neighbors, worthy of the same fair treatment and dignity as everyone else,” said Rebecca Isaacs, Executive Director of Equality Federation. “The more people get to know about the real lives of transgender people, the more empathy prevails. All students, including transgender students, should be able to fully participate and have a fair opportunity to thrive in school.”

The state legislature could vote to overturn Daugaard’s veto. But, at least for now, the votes are lacking in the state Senate which voted in favor of the bill 20-15, which falls short of the necessary two-thirds threshold.

Congrats South Dakota! And thank you, Gov. Daugaard.

UPDATE: It looks like the bill’s sponsor doesn’t want to do a veto fight. From Rep. Fred Deutsch’s response:

“HB 1008 was intended to be a practical solution to our evolving social values on gender issues. Unfortunately emotions on both sides of this issue have dominated the news coverage and the recent debate. I still believe an objective reading of the proposed law is consistent with my intent to be non-discriminatory and fair to all students and parents.

However, because I think the national focus on South Dakota should be on our positive business environment, strong labor market and the excellent work our schools do, I am going to ask my legislative colleagues to concur with the Governor’s veto. Further focus on this issue will detract from the other significant accomplishments of the legislature this session.”

Posted on

Federal Judge Rules South Dakota Same-Sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional

Freedom To Marry has tweeted that U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier, a Clinton appointee, has ruled South Dakota’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

From the ruling:

“In Loving, the Supreme Court addressed a traditionally accepted definition of marriage that prohibited Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving from marrying.

“Because Virginia’s laws deprived that couple of their fundamental right to marriage, the Court struck down those laws.

“Little distinguishes this case from Loving. Plaintiffs have a fundamental right to marry. South Dakota law deprives them of that right solely because they are same-sex couples and without sufficient justification.”

The order is stayed pending probable appeal to 8th Circuit Court.

Stay tuned as more info becomes available.

Read the ruling below:

Posted on

South Dakota man gets decked asking stranger to stop using gay slur

Drew Bratscher, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, got a face full of what it’s like to be an LGBT ally sometimes when he tried to stand up to a woman using a gay slur.

From LGBTQNation:

Bartscher, 27, says he was in crowd with two of his friends outside a local tavern around early Sunday morning when he heard a woman use a derogatory term for gays.

Bartscher, who is straight, says he politely told her she should not say that word.

What happened next blindsided him, reports KELO-TV.

“Then I hear this guy yell at me, ‘What the F did you say to my girlfriend?!?!’ I turned just a little bit and then the next thing I know, my friends are picking me up off the sidewalk, (because) I had gotten punched pretty good,” Bartscher said.

Though Bartscher says he’s a bit embarrassed about his shiner, he’s not ashamed of what he did to get it. He says he posted a photo of his injury almost immediately afterward, with the caption: “Stand up for what you believe in. Love everyone.”

No good deed goes unpunished, kids. I tell you what…

But props to Drew for standing up for the good guys. You get my respect.

Posted on

It’s South Dakota’s turn: Same-sex marriage ban challenge filed

Six couples have filed a lawsuit challenging the current same-sex marriage ban in South Dakota:

Nancy and Jennie Rosenbrahn of Rapid City are among the couples who filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Sioux Falls Thursday. The two married in Minnesota in April.

“I think what matters is that we’re all sending a message to either the Supreme Court or the legislators in Washington, D.C., that this has got to stop,” Nancy Rosenbrahn said Wednesday, reports the Associated Press.

The South Dakota legislature passed a law barring gay and lesbian couples from marrying in 1996, and voters across the state approved a constitutional amendment to that effect in 2006. The state attorney general, Marty Jackley, said it is his responsibility to defend the law, according to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

“If there is going to be a change, then that change should come from the voters of South Dakota at the ballot box,” he said.

North Dakota is now the only state in the US which outlaws same-sex marriage with no legal challenge.

Posted on

South Dakota will soon see legal challenge filed against same-sex marriage ban

This weekend, Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges will marry a lesbian couple from South Dakota, setting the stage for a soon-to-be-filed lawsuit aimed at overturning South Dakota’s same-sex marriage ban.

From TwinCities.com:

The couple, Nancy Robrahn, 68, and Jennie Rosenkranz, 72, say that along with two other gay South Dakota couples, they plan on filing a federal class-action lawsuit against state officials.

Robrahn and Rosenkranz will argue that South Dakota should recognize same-sex marriages when performed outside of the state. In addition, the suit will seek to overturn South Dakota’s statewide same-sex marriage ban enacted by a constitutional amendment in 2006.

A spokesman for Hodges said she does not know Robrahn and Rosenkranz personally, but responded positively after those working with them reached out to her office.

Once the lawsuit is filed,  only North Dakota, Alaska and Montana will remain as states banning same-sex marriage without legal challenges.

Robrahn and Rosenkranz have been together for 27 years. In March they were denied a marriage license by the clerk’s office in South Dakota’s Pennington County.

Posted on

South Dakota: Sen. Tim Johnson supports marriage equality

Sen. Tim Johnson (S.D.) leaves the Final Four. There are now only three Senate Democrats who oppose gay marriage—Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Mark Pryor (Ark.), and Mary Landrieu (La.).

“After lengthy consideration, my views have evolved sufficiently to support marriage equality legislation,” said Johnson. “This position doesn’t require any religious denomination to alter any of its tenets; it simply forbids government from discrimination regarding who can marry whom.”

Johnson’s has announced he plans to retire at the end of his current term (which ends in 2014) which gives him some room to maneuver in his socially conservative state.

In 2006, South Dakota banned not only same-sex marriage, but also civil unions and domestic partnerships with a constitutional amendment backed by 52% of voters.

There are now 54 sitting Senators who endorse same-sex marriage.

(via Time)

Posted on

South Dakota: Governor signs school “sentinels” bill into law

From TalkingPointsMemo:

South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard (R) on Friday signed the so-called “school sentinels” bill that will allow local school districts to place armed volunteers on campus, the Argus Leader reported.

The bill emerged as a major point of contention during the current legislative session, but supporters highlighted the fact that the measure will not force any school to accept sentinels on campus. Instead, the law will empower school boards to implement sentinels programs — an option that supporters said is important for small schools that lack a robust law enforcement presence in their communities.  But the bill drew opposition from many superintendents and education groups.

Under the law, the armed personnel must be trained by state officials and approved by law enforcement. The New York Times reported that Daugaard’s signing of the bill likely makes South Dakota “the first state to pass a law that specifically allows teachers to carry firearms,”although teachers do not necessarily have to serve as the sentinels under the law.

What could possibly go wrong???