Posts Tagged LGBTQ issues

Malawi’s first woman president vows to repeal anti-gay laws

Joyce Banda, who became Malawi’s first female president last month, is hitting the ground running. In her first state of the nation address, she announced that as “a matter of urgency” she’ll seek to repeal the country’s laws criminalizing homosexuality.

Banda seems to have enough support in parliament to get the laws overturned, but Malawi is still a conservative country, so it’s a gutsy move. Banda’s predecessor pardoned two men who were imprisoned for the crime of wanting to get married but maintained that they “committed a crime against our culture, against our religion, and against our laws.”

Gay rights activists in the region hope that a change like this in Malawi, which is hosting the African Union ...

Joyce Banda, who became Malawi’s first female president last month, is hitting the ground running. In her first state of the nation address, she announced that as “a matter of urgency” she’ll seek to repeal ...
gaymarriage map

Maryland becomes 8th state to pass marriage equality

Gay marriage is coming to Maryland! Last night, the legislature passed the bill and Gov. O’Malley has promised to sign it into law. Maryland is the eighth state to approve gay marriage–and the fourth state one to do so in the last year.

Unfortunately, the law will probably be put to a referendum on the November ballot. (Because here in America, we occasionally like to put our basic civil liberties up for a popular vote–that is, when the government isn’t unilaterally trampling all over them.)

Nevertheless, between this victory and Washington’s new marriage equality law–and despite that one recent setback since New Jersey’s Governor happens to be a raging bigot–there definitely seems to be some serious homomentum these ...

Gay marriage is coming to Maryland! Last night, the legislature passed the bill and Gov. O’Malley has promised to sign it into law. Maryland is the eighth state to approve gay marriage–and the fourth state one ...

Friday Feminist Fuck Yeah: GOP Rep speaks out for gay marriage in Washington

Via Shakesville, here’s a speech that will make you cry a bunch of times.

Representative Maureen Walsh is one of two Republicans in the Washington House who voted to pass the same-sex marriage bill on Wednesday. Before the vote, she took the floor to say she was allowing her heart to guide her on this one and described her daughter who came out recently: “She’s still a fabulous human being and she met someone she loves very much. And some day, by God, I want to throw a wedding for that kid. And someday I hope that’s what I can do.”

Washington’s Governor is expected to sign the marriage equality bill into law on Monday. Here’s to #7!

Transcript after ...

Via Shakesville, here’s a speech that will make you cry a bunch of times.

Representative Maureen Walsh is one of two Republicans in the Washington House who voted to pass the same-sex marriage bill on Wednesday. ...

Do what Al Franken says: Help make schools safer for LGBTQ students

Here’s a politician who’s actually helping to make it better. Feministing favorite and my own Senator Al Franken released a new video urging folks to contact their representatives in support of the Student Non-Discrimination Act. The bill, which was introduced by Franken and Rep. Jared Polis last March, “would ban discrimination and harassment in public schools based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and require schools to protect LGBT students when they are threatened.”

Justin Aaberg was a rising high school sophomore in Minnesota. Justin played the cello, in fact, he wrote music for the cello. His mother told people he was a sweet boy who seemed always to have a smile on his face. Justin ...

Here’s a politician who’s actually helping to make it better. Feministing favorite and my own Senator Al Franken released a new video urging folks to contact their representatives in support of the Student ...

Fight for equality by embracing the awkwardness this Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving approaching, GLAAD is encouraging LGBTQ folks to talk openly about their lives and partners at the family dinner table–even if that makes Aunt Betty feel a little awkward. And us straight people can do our part by talking about why we support LGBTQ equality.

A GLAAD study found that four out of five people who have become more supportive of LGBTQ rights in the last few years say that personally knowing someone was a primary reason. “Talking about our lives with our loved ones and family members is vital to advancing equality.”

Of course, not all LGBTQ folks have the privilege of being able to safely talk about their lives–or even spend the holiday with their families–but ...

With Thanksgiving approaching, GLAAD is encouraging LGBTQ folks to talk openly about their lives and partners at the family dinner table–even if that makes Aunt Betty feel a little awkward. And us straight people ...

Eric Cantor heckled for opposing marriage equality

While speaking yesterday at the Gerald Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor was booed for opposing marriage equality.

When the time came to take questions, Cantor was asked how he squares his support for states’ rights with his support for the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

He offered the explanation that he just believes in “traditional marriage” then offered some irrelevant rhetoric about how all Americans “should allow for equal opportunity to earn the success that we’re after.” Huh?

Same sex marriage and domestic partnerships are a hot and divisive topic at the University of Michigan at the moment. The state senate is currently considering HB 4770, which would which, in a purported ...

While speaking yesterday at the Gerald Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor was booed for opposing marriage equality.

When the time came to take questions, Cantor was asked ...

Tammy Baldwin could become first openly gay U.S. Senator


Image credit: Associated Press

Yesterday, Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin officially announced that she’s running for Senate. If elected, Baldwin, who is currently the only openly lesbian member of Congress, would become the very first openly gay U.S. Senator.

It’s yet to been seen how much homophobic bullshit Baldwin will have to deal with during the campaign. But if initial reactions from the Republican side are any indication, it looks like perhaps they’ll focus more on Baldwin’s evil liberal politics than her evil sexual orientation. Which is pretty much the definition of progress.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee responded to Baldwin’s announcement by calling her “an extreme Madison liberal” and “an avowed supporter of job-killing tax hikes, reckless ...


Image credit: Associated Press

Yesterday, Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin officially announced that she’s running for Senate. If elected, Baldwin, who is currently the only openly lesbian member of Congress, would become the very ...

Hombre y hombre? It’s love

Via Colorlines, a beautiful video from Somos Familia, a project that works to promote acceptance of LGBTQ people in the Latino community.

It stuck a chord with me in particular, coming from a Cuban family, and knowing how important it is for those of us in the Latino community to speak to one another about our challenges and experiences as LGBTQ Latinos. The video gave me chills.

Via Colorlines, a beautiful video from Somos Familia, a project that works to promote acceptance of LGBTQ people in the Latino community.

It stuck a chord with me in particular, coming from a Cuban family, and ...

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