Equality Hawaii, Human Rights Campaign applaud Governor Neil Abercrombie for signing civil unions law: Hawaii becomes 15th US jurisdiction to provide same-sex couples equal rights under the law
by Don Bentz | Equality Hawaii | (808) 221-0799
HONOLULU - Equality Hawaii, the state's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, and the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBT civil rights organization, today congratulated Governor Neil Abercrombie, the Hawaii legislature and the people of Hawaii for enacting civil unions into law. The legislation provides that equal rights and responsibilities of married couples in Hawaii be afforded to thousands of non-married couples in the state – including same-sex couples. The law takes effect January 1, 2012.
READ THE ARTICLE

Human Rights Campaign Statement on DOJ brief in support of discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law
by
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, released the following statement today regarding the United States Department of Justice’s filing in Log Cabin Republicans v. Gates, a constitutional challenge to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT).
The Log Cabin Republicans challenged the 1993 law in federal court in 2004. On Monday, March 29, the Department of Justice filed a brief defending the law, stating among other things that Congress could have rationally concluded that DADT was necessary to ensure privacy, reduce sexual tension, and maintain unit cohesion and military preparedness.
READ THE ARTICLE

Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention clears key Senate hurdle
by Human RIghts Campaign
HRC President Joe Solmonese: “Once again, we have demonstrated that more than 60 Senators support the Matthew Shepard Act”
READ THE ARTICLE

Shame on you, California
by Andy Ostroy
The California Supreme Court had an opportunity Tuesday to do the right thing and overturn the thinly-passed Proposition 8 gay-marriage ban which the state's Homophobes voted into law through a ballot referendum last November. To no one's shock or surprise, they upheld the controversial decision, even as many other states like Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York have moved to legalize such unions. Clearly, not everything progressive originates in The Golden State. This time, California can bask in its regressiveness (Prop 8 was an answer to an earlier Supreme Court ruling last May to allow same-sex marriages). So, "the will of the people" wins, and logic, fairness and tolerance loses.
READ THE ARTICLE

Palin and gay rights: the straight dope
by Duncan Osborne
 In the immediate aftermath of the announcement of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate, the Arizona senator's campaign had success in portraying the anti-choice social conservative as friendly to the gay community.
READ THE ARTICLE

McCain's comments against same-sex adoption show he is out of touch with today’s leading child welfare organizations
by Human Rights Campaign
WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, issued the following statement today after Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, told the New York Times he remains opposed to adoption by same-sex couples implying that he is opposed to single-parent adoption as well.  In the interview, published Sunday, July 13, McCain said, “I think that we’ve proven that both parents are important in the success of a family so, no I don’t believe in gay adoption.” 
READ THE ARTICLE

ExxonMobil shareholders show record support for non-discrimination policy
by Trevor Thomas, Human Rights Campaign Foundation
WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, today commented on shareholders at Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) voting with record support for a resolution to add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the company’s official equal employment opportunity policy.  The percentage of shares voted in favor of the proposal has grown each of the last nine years, with 39.6 percent of shares voting in favor of the policy this year, which is the first year it has included “gender identity.”  The tally represents about 1.74 billion total shares voted in favor of the proposal.
READ THE ARTICLE

WA domestic partnership expansion bill signed into law
by Brad Luna
WASHINGTON – State of Washington Governor Chris Gregoire signed into law on Wednesday a Domestic Partnership Expansion bill that will provide more than 160 new rights and responsibilities to registered domestic partners under state law.  The bill passed the Senate on March 4 by a 29-20 vote.  It passed the House last month by a 62-32 vote.
READ THE ARTICLE

Bush bows to extremist pressure and schedules press conference on marriage amendment
by Brad Luna and Jay Smith Brown
"It's a national disgrace that President Bush has yet again bowed to the far-right extremists," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese
READ THE ARTICLE

U.S. Supports Iran in Rejecting Gay Rights Organizations at the UN
by Gene C. Gerard
Given the Bush administration’s rhetoric regarding the Iranian government you wouldn’t think the two have much, if anything, in common. In his 2002 State of the Union address President Bush referred to Iran as part of an “axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world.” And he criticized the Iranian government’s efforts to “repress the Iranian people’s hope of freedom.” This week, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice testified before the Senate regarding the administration’s request for $75 million to help further democracy in Iran, in which she stated that Iran was under the control of a “radical regime.” Yet the Bush administration recently went out of its way to support an Iranian initiative to deny access to gay and lesbian organizations within the United Nations.
READ THE ARTICLE

Recent GLBT Issues Articles

QBliss takes on hate and plans its future five years later!
  October 25, 2003
  QBliss

The Death of Freedom
  September 30, 2003
  Melinda Barton

Local Candidate’s Night Brings Community and Candidates Together
  September 28, 2003
  Stonewall CAN

Beacon responds to Bush attack on Gays
  August 2, 2003
  Beacon Fellowship

These are indeed 'Savage' times for dissent
  April 30, 2003
  Glenn LeCarl

Read GLBT Issues Articles by Year:
2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000