 In the NEWS Legislation that would allow the federal government to offer domestic partner benefits to government workers passed on a voice vote this week in the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee. It's unclear whether the bill will get a full Senate vote, and a companion bill in the House stands little chance of passage, according to this article.Washington Blade (5/16) Republican leaders in the Colorado House last night once again blocked consideration of a civil unions bill that likely would have passed with bipartisan support in a special session of the state Legislature. The bill's fate was sealed when it failed to pass out of a committee chosen by House Speaker Frank McNulty, who referred to the measure as establishing "same-sex marriage." The Denver Post Mitt Romney’s campaign staff this week scrambled to rebut charges that pressure from anti-gay conservatives led them to muzzle a newly appointed spokesman who is openly gay. Richard Grenell, a media strategist with extensive political and governmental experience, resigned his post after campaign officials forbid him from speaking with reporters. Gay rights advocates said Romney should have more forcefully defended Grenell from far-right attacks on his sexual orientation. “Those attacks would not have carried the weight that they did had there been a strong pushback from the campaign,” said Jimmy LaSalvia of GOProud.BuzzFeed (5/1), The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (5/2), The Huffington Post(5/2) Is Philadelphia the most gay-friendly city in America? Mark Segal argues no city in the U.S. can hold a candle to Philadelphia when it comes to embracing its LGBT community. The city funds the LGBT community at a rate higher than almost any other city in the nation; it has the oldest LGBT bookstore in America; local political leaders must court the LGBT community to win public office; and 10 locally elected judges are openly LGBT, he writes. Philadelphia Gay News (5/3) GOP lawmaker comes out in Missouri to fight “Don’t Say Gay” bill Missouri state Rep. Zachary Wyatt this week became the only openly LGBT Republican serving in a state legislature in the U.S. after he came out as gay in a speech opposing a pending “Don’t Say Gay” schools bill. “Today I ask you to stand with me as a proud Republican, a proud veteran and a proud gay man who wants to protect all kids addressing bullying in our schools,” Wyatt said at a news conference. ABC News/The Associated Press (5/2) EEOC Moves To Extend Rights For Transgendered Phoenix Business Journal by Mike Sunnucks, Senior Reporter Date: Thursday, April 26, 2012 The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission wants to extend federal civil rights and employment discrimination protections to the transgendered and those going through sex changes. The EEOC ruled this week in a case involving a man’s transition to becoming a woman. The person applied for, and was later turned down for a crime lab job with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The EEOC ruled that gender identity discrimination can fall under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC sues employers on behalf of workers in discrimination cases. The ruling was a reversal of past EEOC and legal rulings that have not extended federal civil rights protections based in gender identity. EEOC protections historically guard workers against hiring and workplace discrimination based on religion, sex, race and ethnicity. The EEOC move on gender identity in the ATF case could play itself out in the courts. An extension of federal civil rights and discrimination protections to the transgendered would result in claims and legal tussles for private employers. Employment attorneys and law firms, like Ballard Spahr LLC here in Phoenix, are briefing their clients on the potential lawsuits coming out of the EEOC decision. In the News Sources |
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