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Kate Kendell, National Center Lesbian Rights
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Defending the Indefensible
The story of Harold Scull and Clay Greene has reached tens of thousands of people, and in its telling has raised many questions. Since we announced our involvement in the case a couple of weeks ago, many readers have emailed the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR). We have been touched by the outpouring of support for Clay, who literally lost everything after his partner of 25 years fell on the front porch of their home. We also have been disappointed by Sonoma County’s attacks on Clay—a deflection of the true issue in this case, which is the County’s appalling and unlawful conduct toward Harold and Clay. Clay Greene is not on trial. The County of Sonoma is, and they have yet to address the actual charges raised in this case.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Marin Community Foundation Grants $1.1 Million to Fund Services for Older Adults in Marin County
Novato, CA (April 13, 2010)—To help Marin County's older adults benefit from a range of health and social services and have opportunities to be involved in their community, the Marin Community Foundation (MCF) is making over $1 million in grants to local organizations serving this population.
"The Foundation has a long history of supporting organizations that provide services to older adults in Marin," said MCF President Thomas Peters in announcing the grants. "Since the growth rate of the older population in Marin is the fastest of any county in the state, it's important that as a community we come together to provide coordinated and effective support to these residents."
"These services help ensure the health and independence of Marin's older adults, and as a result, everyone in the community can benefit from their immense talent and skills," he added.
Direct services being funded include health screenings for older adults living in low-income housing facilities, with nursing students at Dominican University of California overseeing their care and improving safety in their homes.
Other service providers will receive grants to provide classes, meals, and case management assistance in order to help older adults access such services as transportation and in-home support as well as public assistance programs.
Additionally, Spectrum LGBT Center of the North Bay will train organizations serving older adults to work more effectively with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender clients.
A second group of grants will encourage older adults in Marin to become involved in volunteer and employment opportunities. For example, a grant to the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership of Marin will fund its efforts to recruit and manage volunteers, some of whom will be helping at agencies that provide services to other older adults in Marin.
Grants will also provide scholarships so older adults can attend a range of community activities throughout the county, including classes, health fairs, and other gatherings.
Also, a grant to the YWCA of San Francisco & Marin's FiftyPlus Employment Program will support instruction in computer skills as well the agency’s Job Seeker Institutes, which offer training in résumé writing and interview skills.
"Not only do we want to tap into a tremendous resource in our community," said Peters of these efforts, "but it's well known that older adults who are engaged in their community are healthier and remain independent longer."
"We are fortunate in Marin to have nonprofit agencies with a strong commitment to the county's older adults," said Peters. "By supporting their efforts, we are helping ensure that our county has a compassionate and effective support system in place to meet their needs."
The complete list of grants follows:
The Marin Community Foundation is the primary center for philanthropy in Marin County, CA, and is one of the largest community foundations in the U.S. It manages the assets of the Leonard and Beryl H. Buck Trust and 350 funds established by individuals, families, and businesses. The Foundation makes significant improvements in communities around the world in two ways: by spearheading initiatives for long-term, sustainable change in Marin, and by distributing grants from donor-advised funds locally, across the U.S., and around the world.
Now in its 22nd year, the Marin Community Foundation has invested over $800 million in the work of nonprofit organizations. Its assets are approximately $1 billion, with annual grant distributions of approximately $50 million.
"The Foundation has a long history of supporting organizations that provide services to older adults in Marin," said MCF President Thomas Peters in announcing the grants. "Since the growth rate of the older population in Marin is the fastest of any county in the state, it's important that as a community we come together to provide coordinated and effective support to these residents."
"These services help ensure the health and independence of Marin's older adults, and as a result, everyone in the community can benefit from their immense talent and skills," he added.
Direct services being funded include health screenings for older adults living in low-income housing facilities, with nursing students at Dominican University of California overseeing their care and improving safety in their homes.
Other service providers will receive grants to provide classes, meals, and case management assistance in order to help older adults access such services as transportation and in-home support as well as public assistance programs.
Additionally, Spectrum LGBT Center of the North Bay will train organizations serving older adults to work more effectively with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender clients.
A second group of grants will encourage older adults in Marin to become involved in volunteer and employment opportunities. For example, a grant to the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership of Marin will fund its efforts to recruit and manage volunteers, some of whom will be helping at agencies that provide services to other older adults in Marin.
Grants will also provide scholarships so older adults can attend a range of community activities throughout the county, including classes, health fairs, and other gatherings.
Also, a grant to the YWCA of San Francisco & Marin's FiftyPlus Employment Program will support instruction in computer skills as well the agency’s Job Seeker Institutes, which offer training in résumé writing and interview skills.
"Not only do we want to tap into a tremendous resource in our community," said Peters of these efforts, "but it's well known that older adults who are engaged in their community are healthier and remain independent longer."
"We are fortunate in Marin to have nonprofit agencies with a strong commitment to the county's older adults," said Peters. "By supporting their efforts, we are helping ensure that our county has a compassionate and effective support system in place to meet their needs."
The complete list of grants follows:
- Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership of Marin $75,000
- City of Novato-Novato Independent Elders Program $70,000
- Dance Palace Community Center $20,000
- Dominican University of California $50,000
- Jewish Family and Children’s Services $75,000
- Meals of Marin $60,000
- Northern CA Presbyterian Homes and Services $20,000
- Novato Human Needs Center $40,000
- Senior Access $75,000
- Spectrum LGBT Center of the North Bay $60,000
- West Marin Community Services $10,000
- West Marin Senior Services $200,000
- Whistlestop $275,000
- YWCA of San Francisco $75,000
The Marin Community Foundation is the primary center for philanthropy in Marin County, CA, and is one of the largest community foundations in the U.S. It manages the assets of the Leonard and Beryl H. Buck Trust and 350 funds established by individuals, families, and businesses. The Foundation makes significant improvements in communities around the world in two ways: by spearheading initiatives for long-term, sustainable change in Marin, and by distributing grants from donor-advised funds locally, across the U.S., and around the world.
Now in its 22nd year, the Marin Community Foundation has invested over $800 million in the work of nonprofit organizations. Its assets are approximately $1 billion, with annual grant distributions of approximately $50 million.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
LGBT CENTERS RECEIVE INNOVATIVE GRANTS FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS
The Johnson Family Foundation has announced that The Pacific Center for Human Growth in Berkeley, CA, and the Long Island GLBT Community Center in Bay Shore, NY have each been awarded a $150,000 grant over 3 years dedicated to increasing the variety and quality of mental health services provided by LGBT community centers and strengthening the overall organizational capacity of these institutions during a critical phase in their development.
CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers is proud to be a partner in this new mental health initiative and will be working with both centers to implement yearly organizational technical assistance plans through additional funding made available from the Foundation. “CenterLink is thrilled to be part of this truly innovative program and we look forward to working with each center as they become model programs in the delivery of mental health services for the LGBT community,” said Terry Stone, Executive Director.
The grants were awarded to support specific capacity building projects of already existing mental health programs, and are the first year of a three year project during which additional LGBT centers will be eligible to apply for funding in 2010 and 2011. CenterLink reports there are currently over 180 LGBT centers in 48 states in the U.S. which serve over 40,000 people weekly through a diverse range of programs and services.
“This grant will enable our organization to improve efficiency, reach more people and provide more services relevant to our local community’s needs today. Our daily goal is to help people live confidently throughout the course of their lives and this grant will directly support those who come to us for help,’’ said the Pacific Center for Human Growth’s Executive Director, Leslie Ewing.
“The goal to provide LGBT centers the capacity to move to next level in the delivery of such services seems to be now reachable,” explains David Kilmnick, the Long Island GLBT Center’s Executive Director. ‘‘The Center’s capacity to serve clients is expected to double... [and] at the end of the three year grant period, The Center will be positioned to take its next steps toward opening the first GLBT mental health clinic on Long Island.’’
CenterLink applauds the commitment of the Johnson Family Foundation and looks forward to working with them and the centers to build a stronger, healthier LGBT community through innovative, sustainable, and effective programming at LGBT centers everywhere.
###
Founded in 1994, CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers is the only national organization working to expand the organizational and advocacy capacity of LGBT community centers through direct technical assistance, leadership skills development and resource coordination. CenterLink believes LGBT centers represent the backbone of the LGBT movement, serving over 40,000 people weekly. For more information on CenterLink and its members, visit www.lgbtcenters.org.
The Johnson Family Foundation is a progressive family foundation. JFF operates national grantmaking programs in the areas of environmental health and LGBT issues, as well as place-based grantmaking programs in the State of Vermont; New York City and Long Island, NY; the City of Pittsburgh, PA; and the town of Telluride, CO. JFF made grants totaling approximately $3.6 million in 2008. Find out more by visiting www.jffnd.org.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Equality California Institute Receives $444,000 Grant from CA Department of Mental Health
Historic Grant to Assess and Improve Mental Health Services for
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) individuals
Los Angeles - The California LGBT Health and Human Services Network of Equality California Institute (EQCAI) has been awarded a two-year, $444,000 grant by the California Department of Mental Health. This historic grant will fund a first ever statewide assessment of the mental health needs of LGBT communities.
"The impact of discrimination on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is immense, often leading to mental health issues like depression, substance abuse and even suicide," said Geoff Kors, Executive Director of EQCAI. "Never before has the state invested in research of this scope for the LGBT community. This is an important step toward ensuring equal access to culturally appropriate mental health services that can help the LGBT community overcome these challenges."
The study will collect statewide data on the harm caused by discrimination, examining such issues as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, substance abuse and suicide. It will identify the best ways to prevent and treat mental health issues in the LGBT community. The project will be guided by a statewide work group drawn from within the LGBT community, and it will work collaboratively within the multicultural and multilingual populations in California.
"This grant will literally change the face of mental health services in California and be a model for the rest of the nation," said Daniel Gould, EQCAI's Health and Human Services Network Coordinator. "The work we do will guide LGBT organizations, practitioners and policy makers in designing and implementing effective programs and policies that better address our community's mental health needs."
The California LGBT Health and Human Services Network is a coalition of organizations that directly serve the LGBT communities of California. These organizations deal with a myriad of issues including safe schools, teenage suicide prevention and elder housing. To learn more about EQCAI's Health and Human Services Network, please visit http://www.eqcai.org/health/about.
Equality California Institute educates lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and the public at large about issues impacting the LGBT community and our allies. Established in 2000, EQCAI organizes and empowers individuals, communities and allied groups to work proactively for fairness, equality and justice. EQCAI coordinates the LGBT Health and Human Services Network, a statewide health coalition. www.eqcai.org
http://www.eqca.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=kuLRJ9MRKrH&b=4869041&ct=7608481
Friday, October 30, 2009
Feature: Out of the 'Ash'
Despite improved acceptance, not all gay young adults are ready for the ball just yet...
by Ronnie Cohen
The fantasy world of Fairfax author Malinda Lo's recently published novel, Ash, unfolds long ago, in a time of kings, witches and fairies. But the tale's nonchalant acceptance of homosexual love propels the lesbian retelling of Cinderella into the future.
The turnout at an event earlier this month in the Fairfax Library illustrates just how far off a world free of homophobia, like the one in Ash, might be. Although a Fairfax librarian contacted leaders of gay-pride clubs at local high schools, only one student showed up to hear Lo speak about the book she wrote for young adults.
Two teachers who lead Redwood High School's Pride Plus Club did attend the library reading. They say some of the club's 10 or so members might have shied away from the event for fear it would lead to their parents learning about their homosexuality.
Since they attended high school, the teachers say, the climate for gay and lesbian teens has improved markedly. Kate Lorch, who teaches English at Redwood, graduated from high school in 1994. "I was so relieved and happy to find these high school students were so much more accepting and open as the culture had evolved," she says.
Still, Lorch and Greg Stevens, a Spanish teacher and co-leader of Redwood's Pride Plus, say students hesitate to announce to their families and their communities that they're gay. When they do, their parents sometimes counsel them against making public pronouncements about their sexual preferences for fear of persecution. That fear can translate into being unable to come out and hear a lesbian author talk about her work.
Casey Halcro runs youth groups for gays and lesbians through Spectrum LGBT Center in Novato. "Still, in 2009, the kids don't feel like it's really all that safe, even in Marin County, to be open and honest about their sexuality," she says. "It's been 11 years since Matthew Shepard was shot and left to die in Laramie, Wyoming. But it's only been two years since Lawrence King, a 15-year-old boy, was shot point-blank because kids thought he dressed too femininely here in California."
A 14-year-old boy allegedly killed Lawrence King in an Oxnard classroom in February 2008, a few weeks after he stated publicly he was gay. In contrast, women who love women face no threat of persecution in the world Lo creates for her well-received first book. When the main character, Ash, chooses a huntress over a prince, she does not grapple with a label or the need to come out as a lesbian.
"In Ash's world, there are no lesbians, technically," Lo says. "The fairytale is that she can fall in love with whoever she wants. There's no homophobia in this fantasy world. No one blinks an eye. So it's not a coming-out story. The fairytale is really about her falling in love, and it doesn't matter who it's with."
• • • •
ABOUT A YEAR ago, Lo, 35, moved within walking distance of the Fairfax Library to live with her partner, Amy Lovell, and their black lab mix, Spy Girl. On a recent sunny afternoon, Lo took a break from work on her second book, a young adult quest novel, to talk about how she came to be a writer, marriage, being what she calls "queer" and Ash.
Sitting at her kitchen table with Spy Girl at her side, Lo, who was born in China and moved to the U.S. when she was 3, wears jeans, a T-shirt and sneakers. Her shiny black hair falls straight to her chin. In the first draft Lo wrote of Ash about eight years ago, the main character, a young girl, falls in love with a fairy godfather. After reading the draft, one of Lo's friends suggested that Ash had more chemistry with the huntress than the male fairy.
"It was a surprise to me," Lo says, still sounding surprised. "I hadn't intended to write this same-sex romance. I was worried that it would sound gimmicky to write a lesbian Cinderella. But it seemed clear that that's what I wanted to do—subconsciously, at least."
In Ash, there is no glass slipper, the prince has money and power but not necessarily charm, and he does not roam the countryside searching for a beauty with one shoe. Like Cinderella, though, Ash's parents die and leave her to serve an evil stepmother and two stepsisters. Also like Cinderella, because Lo loves parties, Ash attends balls.
In Ash, men tend to marry women, and humans tend to favor humans. But the spectrum of normal sexuality widens so that it's also normal when the fairy godfather falls for Ash and when Ash falls for the huntress.
Lo says she always loved to write, but after graduating from Wellesley College with a degree in economics and Chinese studies, she tried unsuccessfully to become a banker and then went to graduate school, first at Harvard for East Asian studies and then at Stanford, studying Hollywood as a cultural anthropologist.
Unhappy as an academic, Lo quit her Stanford doctorate program and went to work first as a writer and then as an editor at www.afterellen.com , a Web site for lesbians and bisexual women in entertainment.
From www.afterellen.com, Lo learned that lesbian women were tired of being marginalized or killed off in mass media. "It was very clear to me that these women want stories where the lesbians have a happy ending," she says.
• • • •
ASH INCORPORATES DETAILS about rituals and customs Lo studied in graduate school. And, like all good fairytales, it has a happy ending.
As an anthropologist, Lo examined marriage. Over the summer, she says, she and Lovell wed, though the state does not legally recognize their marriage. The couple missed the slim window of opportunity—from June through November 2008, before voters passed the gay-marriage ban—for same-sex couples to wed legally in California.
Lo and Lovell had only known each other for about a year when they had the chance to legally marry. They contemplated rushing their wedding last year but decided against it. "It would have felt a little like a shotgun wedding," Lo says. "It didn't seem right to push it.
"I would love to get married legally. It's too bad. Hopefully things are going to change."
Things have changed more than Lo ever imagined when she was in college and first found herself attracted to women. In the 1990s, for example, she says she never could have imagined talk of same-sex marriage.
"Marriage is really important," she says. "As an anthropologist, I've spent so much time studying marriage, family and kinship, and to have gay people enter that institution is a major step. I'm waiting to do it. I'd love to do it."
For more information on Spectrum LGBT Center's youth groups, go to spectrumlgbtcenter.org.
This story was published in the Pacific Sun on 10/23/09
by Ronnie Cohen
The fantasy world of Fairfax author Malinda Lo's recently published novel, Ash, unfolds long ago, in a time of kings, witches and fairies. But the tale's nonchalant acceptance of homosexual love propels the lesbian retelling of Cinderella into the future.
The turnout at an event earlier this month in the Fairfax Library illustrates just how far off a world free of homophobia, like the one in Ash, might be. Although a Fairfax librarian contacted leaders of gay-pride clubs at local high schools, only one student showed up to hear Lo speak about the book she wrote for young adults.
Two teachers who lead Redwood High School's Pride Plus Club did attend the library reading. They say some of the club's 10 or so members might have shied away from the event for fear it would lead to their parents learning about their homosexuality.
Since they attended high school, the teachers say, the climate for gay and lesbian teens has improved markedly. Kate Lorch, who teaches English at Redwood, graduated from high school in 1994. "I was so relieved and happy to find these high school students were so much more accepting and open as the culture had evolved," she says.
Still, Lorch and Greg Stevens, a Spanish teacher and co-leader of Redwood's Pride Plus, say students hesitate to announce to their families and their communities that they're gay. When they do, their parents sometimes counsel them against making public pronouncements about their sexual preferences for fear of persecution. That fear can translate into being unable to come out and hear a lesbian author talk about her work.
Casey Halcro runs youth groups for gays and lesbians through Spectrum LGBT Center in Novato. "Still, in 2009, the kids don't feel like it's really all that safe, even in Marin County, to be open and honest about their sexuality," she says. "It's been 11 years since Matthew Shepard was shot and left to die in Laramie, Wyoming. But it's only been two years since Lawrence King, a 15-year-old boy, was shot point-blank because kids thought he dressed too femininely here in California."
A 14-year-old boy allegedly killed Lawrence King in an Oxnard classroom in February 2008, a few weeks after he stated publicly he was gay. In contrast, women who love women face no threat of persecution in the world Lo creates for her well-received first book. When the main character, Ash, chooses a huntress over a prince, she does not grapple with a label or the need to come out as a lesbian.
"In Ash's world, there are no lesbians, technically," Lo says. "The fairytale is that she can fall in love with whoever she wants. There's no homophobia in this fantasy world. No one blinks an eye. So it's not a coming-out story. The fairytale is really about her falling in love, and it doesn't matter who it's with."
• • • •
ABOUT A YEAR ago, Lo, 35, moved within walking distance of the Fairfax Library to live with her partner, Amy Lovell, and their black lab mix, Spy Girl. On a recent sunny afternoon, Lo took a break from work on her second book, a young adult quest novel, to talk about how she came to be a writer, marriage, being what she calls "queer" and Ash.
Sitting at her kitchen table with Spy Girl at her side, Lo, who was born in China and moved to the U.S. when she was 3, wears jeans, a T-shirt and sneakers. Her shiny black hair falls straight to her chin. In the first draft Lo wrote of Ash about eight years ago, the main character, a young girl, falls in love with a fairy godfather. After reading the draft, one of Lo's friends suggested that Ash had more chemistry with the huntress than the male fairy.
"It was a surprise to me," Lo says, still sounding surprised. "I hadn't intended to write this same-sex romance. I was worried that it would sound gimmicky to write a lesbian Cinderella. But it seemed clear that that's what I wanted to do—subconsciously, at least."
In Ash, there is no glass slipper, the prince has money and power but not necessarily charm, and he does not roam the countryside searching for a beauty with one shoe. Like Cinderella, though, Ash's parents die and leave her to serve an evil stepmother and two stepsisters. Also like Cinderella, because Lo loves parties, Ash attends balls.
In Ash, men tend to marry women, and humans tend to favor humans. But the spectrum of normal sexuality widens so that it's also normal when the fairy godfather falls for Ash and when Ash falls for the huntress.
Lo says she always loved to write, but after graduating from Wellesley College with a degree in economics and Chinese studies, she tried unsuccessfully to become a banker and then went to graduate school, first at Harvard for East Asian studies and then at Stanford, studying Hollywood as a cultural anthropologist.
Unhappy as an academic, Lo quit her Stanford doctorate program and went to work first as a writer and then as an editor at www.afterellen.com , a Web site for lesbians and bisexual women in entertainment.
From www.afterellen.com, Lo learned that lesbian women were tired of being marginalized or killed off in mass media. "It was very clear to me that these women want stories where the lesbians have a happy ending," she says.
• • • •
ASH INCORPORATES DETAILS about rituals and customs Lo studied in graduate school. And, like all good fairytales, it has a happy ending.
As an anthropologist, Lo examined marriage. Over the summer, she says, she and Lovell wed, though the state does not legally recognize their marriage. The couple missed the slim window of opportunity—from June through November 2008, before voters passed the gay-marriage ban—for same-sex couples to wed legally in California.
Lo and Lovell had only known each other for about a year when they had the chance to legally marry. They contemplated rushing their wedding last year but decided against it. "It would have felt a little like a shotgun wedding," Lo says. "It didn't seem right to push it.
"I would love to get married legally. It's too bad. Hopefully things are going to change."
Things have changed more than Lo ever imagined when she was in college and first found herself attracted to women. In the 1990s, for example, she says she never could have imagined talk of same-sex marriage.
"Marriage is really important," she says. "As an anthropologist, I've spent so much time studying marriage, family and kinship, and to have gay people enter that institution is a major step. I'm waiting to do it. I'd love to do it."
For more information on Spectrum LGBT Center's youth groups, go to spectrumlgbtcenter.org.
This story was published in the Pacific Sun on 10/23/09
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
DOMA Repeal Introduced in Congress
Good news! Today lawmakers introduced legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a law that discriminates against lawfully married same-sex couples. Through DOMA, the federal government selectively denies same-sex couples more than 1,100 federal protections and responsibilities, including Social Security and immigration benefits, that apply to all other married couples.
The Respect for Marriage Act was introduced in the House by Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO). The bill has 91 co-sponsors.
DOMA is discriminatory and harmful to families. Married same-sex couples pay taxes, serve their communities, struggle to balance work and family, raise children, and care for aging parents like other Americans. Their contributions and needs are no different than anyone else’s and their relationships deserve the dignity and protection of federal recognition.
The Respect for Marriage Act would repeal both sections 2 and 3 of DOMA. Section 2 creates an exception to the full faith and credit clause for married same-sex couples. The Respect for Marriage Act would eliminate that provision, but it would leave each state free to decide whether to recognize marriages of same-sex couples from other states. Section 3 excludes same-sex spouses from all federal benefits and protections, including Social Security survivor benefits, the right to file joint taxes, and the right to petition for permanent residence for a foreign spouse. The Respect for Marriage Act would require that the federal government treat all married couples equally.
Our friend and partner Jason Bartlett from the National Black Justice Coalition reminds us of what exactly DOMA has meant for our community. “DOMA is an egregious piece of legislation as it codifies discrimination into federal law. As African Americans, we know all too well the injustices that laws such as this impose on our communities and our families and we are sensitive to the federal government trying to define our families. Let us consign the mistakes of the past to history and move forward together. We call on Congress to pass the Respect to Marriage Act as we continue to fight for our civil rights.”
NCLR is proud to have worked in close cooperation with other groups and lead co-sponsors to help define the scope of the bill to repeal DOMA and to secure federal respect for the marriages of same-sex couples. We support the legislative repeal, as well as the legal overturn, of DOMA.
President Obama has made it clear that he, too, supports an end to DOMA. On June 17, 2009, President Barack Obama said, “I stand by my long-standing commitment to work with Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. It’s discriminatory, it interferes with states’ rights, and it’s time we overturned it.” The President most recently reiterated his support for the repeal of DOMA in an August 17, 2009 White House statement.
Stay tuned! We're watching the Respect for Marriage Act very closely, and we'll keep you updated on its progress and what you can do to help end discrimination against same-sex couples.
Ever Onward,
Kate Kendell, Esq.
Executive Director
National Center for Lesbian Rights
The Respect for Marriage Act was introduced in the House by Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO). The bill has 91 co-sponsors.
DOMA is discriminatory and harmful to families. Married same-sex couples pay taxes, serve their communities, struggle to balance work and family, raise children, and care for aging parents like other Americans. Their contributions and needs are no different than anyone else’s and their relationships deserve the dignity and protection of federal recognition.
The Respect for Marriage Act would repeal both sections 2 and 3 of DOMA. Section 2 creates an exception to the full faith and credit clause for married same-sex couples. The Respect for Marriage Act would eliminate that provision, but it would leave each state free to decide whether to recognize marriages of same-sex couples from other states. Section 3 excludes same-sex spouses from all federal benefits and protections, including Social Security survivor benefits, the right to file joint taxes, and the right to petition for permanent residence for a foreign spouse. The Respect for Marriage Act would require that the federal government treat all married couples equally.
Our friend and partner Jason Bartlett from the National Black Justice Coalition reminds us of what exactly DOMA has meant for our community. “DOMA is an egregious piece of legislation as it codifies discrimination into federal law. As African Americans, we know all too well the injustices that laws such as this impose on our communities and our families and we are sensitive to the federal government trying to define our families. Let us consign the mistakes of the past to history and move forward together. We call on Congress to pass the Respect to Marriage Act as we continue to fight for our civil rights.”
NCLR is proud to have worked in close cooperation with other groups and lead co-sponsors to help define the scope of the bill to repeal DOMA and to secure federal respect for the marriages of same-sex couples. We support the legislative repeal, as well as the legal overturn, of DOMA.
President Obama has made it clear that he, too, supports an end to DOMA. On June 17, 2009, President Barack Obama said, “I stand by my long-standing commitment to work with Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. It’s discriminatory, it interferes with states’ rights, and it’s time we overturned it.” The President most recently reiterated his support for the repeal of DOMA in an August 17, 2009 White House statement.
Stay tuned! We're watching the Respect for Marriage Act very closely, and we'll keep you updated on its progress and what you can do to help end discrimination against same-sex couples.
Ever Onward,
Kate Kendell, Esq.
Executive Director
National Center for Lesbian Rights
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Action Alert: Call Your Senators Today and Help Push The Hate Crimes Bill into Becoming Law
As early as today, Wednesday July 15, the Senate will vote on the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act. With the House having already passed the bill in April, the Senate is the last major hurdle before the bill will become law. You can help make sure that we are able to take this last hurdle successfully. Between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, a toll free number (866-659-9641) will be open for you and your constituents, friends, family members and collegues to call your senators and urge them to support the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
Learn more about the act by downloading CenterLink Hate Crimes Factsheet - Senate 2009-07.
What is the Matthew Shepard Act?
The Matthew Shepard Act (officially the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act or LLEHCPA) is a bill that, if passed, would expand the 1969 and 1994 federal hate-crime laws to include crimes motivated by the victim’s perceived or actual sexual orientation or gender identity. The act is named for Matthew Shepard, the 21 year old college student who was tortured and murdered in Laramie, Wyoming in 1998 because of his homosexuality, one of the many victims of crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity in the United States each year.
If passed, what would the Matthew Shepard Act actually do?
On the most basic level, it would allow the federal government to prosecute those who commit hate crimes, and would increase the penalties received by the culprits. It will also lift the prerequisite that the federal government cannot intervene unless the victim had been involved in a federally protected activity (such as voting) when the crime occurred. If passed, the Matthew Shepard Act will also allocate more funds to investigate hate crimes, and require the FBI to track statistics on hate crimes committed against transgender people (hate crimes based on sexual orientation are already being tracked).
Is the Matthew Shepard Act really necessary?
Yes. Hate crimes differ from ‘normal’ crimes in that they do not just cause harm to an individual and his or her circle of family and friends, but also to an entire community. When passed, the Matthew Shepard Act will lead to harsher punishment to those who commit hate crimes against members (or perceived members) of the LGBT community and in doing so will send the message that any form of violence committed against an individual because of that person’s (perceived) sexual orientation or gender identity is an attack on the LGBT community as a whole, and unacceptable to society. This is major progress in the fight against gay bashing, as well as the fight for gay rights in general: the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act sends a clear message that Americans, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, do not hate to live in fear.
Will the Matthew Shepard Act restrict freedom of speech?
This argument is widely made against the act by Republicans in Congress. While violence in any shape or form, physical or emotional, is despicable and unacceptable, the Matthew Shepard Act is only concerned with physical violence. When passed, the Matthew Shepard Act will not lead to the prosecution of those who make violent statements (outrageous and wrong as they may be) against the LGBT community. Any statements being made that suggest that the Matthew Shepard Act would create a thought police, or would limit the freedom of speech or religion, are either misguided or intentionally false.
What can you do to help pass the Matthew Shepard Act?
On Wednesday, July 15, call your senators between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, through the toll free number 866-659-9641 and strongly urge them to support the Matthew Shepard Act. Please also forward this message to your constituents, friends, and family, and ask them to do the same.
For more information visit CenterLink.
Learn more about the act by downloading CenterLink Hate Crimes Factsheet - Senate 2009-07.
What is the Matthew Shepard Act?
The Matthew Shepard Act (officially the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act or LLEHCPA) is a bill that, if passed, would expand the 1969 and 1994 federal hate-crime laws to include crimes motivated by the victim’s perceived or actual sexual orientation or gender identity. The act is named for Matthew Shepard, the 21 year old college student who was tortured and murdered in Laramie, Wyoming in 1998 because of his homosexuality, one of the many victims of crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity in the United States each year.
If passed, what would the Matthew Shepard Act actually do?
On the most basic level, it would allow the federal government to prosecute those who commit hate crimes, and would increase the penalties received by the culprits. It will also lift the prerequisite that the federal government cannot intervene unless the victim had been involved in a federally protected activity (such as voting) when the crime occurred. If passed, the Matthew Shepard Act will also allocate more funds to investigate hate crimes, and require the FBI to track statistics on hate crimes committed against transgender people (hate crimes based on sexual orientation are already being tracked).
Is the Matthew Shepard Act really necessary?
Yes. Hate crimes differ from ‘normal’ crimes in that they do not just cause harm to an individual and his or her circle of family and friends, but also to an entire community. When passed, the Matthew Shepard Act will lead to harsher punishment to those who commit hate crimes against members (or perceived members) of the LGBT community and in doing so will send the message that any form of violence committed against an individual because of that person’s (perceived) sexual orientation or gender identity is an attack on the LGBT community as a whole, and unacceptable to society. This is major progress in the fight against gay bashing, as well as the fight for gay rights in general: the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act sends a clear message that Americans, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, do not hate to live in fear.
Will the Matthew Shepard Act restrict freedom of speech?
This argument is widely made against the act by Republicans in Congress. While violence in any shape or form, physical or emotional, is despicable and unacceptable, the Matthew Shepard Act is only concerned with physical violence. When passed, the Matthew Shepard Act will not lead to the prosecution of those who make violent statements (outrageous and wrong as they may be) against the LGBT community. Any statements being made that suggest that the Matthew Shepard Act would create a thought police, or would limit the freedom of speech or religion, are either misguided or intentionally false.
What can you do to help pass the Matthew Shepard Act?
On Wednesday, July 15, call your senators between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, through the toll free number 866-659-9641 and strongly urge them to support the Matthew Shepard Act. Please also forward this message to your constituents, friends, and family, and ask them to do the same.
For more information visit CenterLink.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month 2009 by the President of the United States of America
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
June 1, 2009
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2009
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-LGBT-Pride-Month/
A PROCLAMATION
Forty years ago, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City resisted police harassment that had become all too common for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Out of this resistance, the LGBT rights movement in America was born. During LGBT Pride Month, we commemorate the events of June 1969 and commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans.
LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country's response to the HIV pandemic.
Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration. These individuals embody the best qualities we seek in public servants, and across my Administration -- in both the White House and the Federal agencies -- openly LGBT employees are doing their jobs with distinction and professionalism.
The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress, but there is more work to be done. LGBT youth should feel safe to learn without the fear of harassment, and LGBT families and seniors should be allowed to live their lives with dignity and respect.
My Administration has partnered with the LGBT community to advance a wide range of initiatives. At the international level, I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality around the world. Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security. We must also commit ourselves to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic by both reducing the number of HIV infections and providing care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States.
These issues affect not only the LGBT community, but also our entire Nation. As long as the promise of equality for all remains unfulfilled, all Americans are affected. If we can work together to advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded, every American will benefit. During LGBT Pride Month, I call upon the LGBT community, the Congress, and the American people to work together to promote equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.
BARACK OBAMA
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
June 1, 2009
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2009
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-LGBT-Pride-Month/
A PROCLAMATION
Forty years ago, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City resisted police harassment that had become all too common for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Out of this resistance, the LGBT rights movement in America was born. During LGBT Pride Month, we commemorate the events of June 1969 and commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans.
LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country's response to the HIV pandemic.
Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration. These individuals embody the best qualities we seek in public servants, and across my Administration -- in both the White House and the Federal agencies -- openly LGBT employees are doing their jobs with distinction and professionalism.
The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress, but there is more work to be done. LGBT youth should feel safe to learn without the fear of harassment, and LGBT families and seniors should be allowed to live their lives with dignity and respect.
My Administration has partnered with the LGBT community to advance a wide range of initiatives. At the international level, I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality around the world. Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security. We must also commit ourselves to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic by both reducing the number of HIV infections and providing care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States.
These issues affect not only the LGBT community, but also our entire Nation. As long as the promise of equality for all remains unfulfilled, all Americans are affected. If we can work together to advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded, every American will benefit. During LGBT Pride Month, I call upon the LGBT community, the Congress, and the American people to work together to promote equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.
BARACK OBAMA
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