By Melanie Nathan, July 7, 2015. Kenyan anti-gay protesters took to the streets in Nairobi Monday, warning US President Barack Obama not to speak about gay rights when he visits Kenya, “the country of his ancestors,” later this month. (As the Ugandan Monitor put it!) The march today, was organized by the Evangelical Alliance of … More Kenyans March Against Gays Warning Obama No Gay Talk
A Rose by Any Other Name: On the Subject of Same-sex Marriage and Other Questionable Choices By Jim Wherry, First Posted July 6, 2015 | Written June 26, 2015. Last summer, I moved from Fairbanks, Alaska to Columbus Georgia for a new job. I knew I was saying good-bye for good to arctic temperatures and … More Commentary by a Conservative Gay Man on Historic Southern Same-Sex Marriage
The Message is Clear: Get to know us before making laws against us. The Evangelical Network (TEN), an association of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and straight Christians held its annual conference this year in Indianapolis, culminating in a march and prayer vigil held at the steps of the Indiana Statehouse. LGBT and Straight evangelical Christians … More LGBT Evangelicals March in Indianapolis to Offer Olive Branch to IN Lawmakers
A shidduch – Rick marrying Rick is indeed acceptable but not in the way they use it! By Melanie Nathan, July 05, 2015. Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) was the keynote speaker at the 2nd Annual National Organization for Marriage (NOM) gala in Washington, DC. – not an unusual venue … More Rick Santorum Speech at NOM Gala is Last Stand for the Dying Political Ploy
By Melanie Nathan, July 03,2015. Truro Church in Fairfax Virginia, under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Tory Baucum, is extending its anti-gay tentacles into the local Hispanic community. Truro’s newest staff member, Jose Garrigo, accompanied by his wife Lidia, will be joining the staff of Truro Church in September, ramping up the anti-gay split away … More Anti-Gay Truro Church Ramps Up Latino Outreach with New Hire
Backlash attacks? By Melanie Nathan, June 28, 2015. In stark contrast to Pride celebrations in the United States, where being lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender was celebrated with joy and a focus on recent equality victories, the Pride parade held in Turkey was marred by police violence against the thousands of LGBT people and allies … More Turkish Police Attack Pride Marchers
America Has Marriage for All | History Made in Landmark SCOTUS Decision Melanie Nathan, June 26, 2015 There is no union more profound than marriage and now the Supreme Court of the United States of America has ruled that every single person in the USA have an equal right to marriage! This morning at 10.00 … More Landmark SCOTUS Case Confirms Equal Marriage for Same-Sex Couples in All U.S. States
LGBT Group Praises SCOTUS Decision on Affordable Care Act Posted by Melanie Nathan, June 25, 20915. In a 6-3 decision, a decisive victory for President Obama, the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the broad reach of the new healthcare law, ruling the government may continue to provide tax subsidies for low- and middle-income people who buy … More SCOTUS Affordable Care Act Decision Impacts LGBT America
Asking for Global participation through support by listening and cash donations for studio equipment | See Fundraiser at bottom By Melanie Nathan, June 24, 2015. In early 2015, a Nigerian journalist and broadcaster, Mike Daemon launched an LGBTI weekly podcast, taking on the form of traditional radio programing, The show NOSTRINGS, includes periodic interviews and … More Courageous Nigerian LGBT Program Hits the Airwaves
By Melanie Nathan, June 22, 2015. The Times of India is reporting the first ever lesbian ad in India is going viral: The country’s first advertisement showing a lesbian couple preparing to meet the parents is making waves on social media. The online video shows two women in a live-in relationship flirting and dressing up … More India’s First lesbian Ad goes Viral
June 15, 2015, Posted by Melanie Nathan Respected Nigerian born LGBTI activist and human rights defender, Davis Mac-lyalla, who has personally experienced unconscionable persecution and discrimination, attended what turned out to be Tel Aviv’s largest ever Pride festivities this past week. I asked him to write a brief note about his experience at Pride. Here … More Impressions of Israel by Nigerian LGBT Activist Invited to Tel Aviv Pride
Crucial tool for lobbying to misinformed African politicians June 11, 2015, by Melanie Nathan This month by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) countering the notions that underpin homophobia and the criminalization of LGBTI people in Africa and the impact on HIV. Eleven respected experts, mostly academic scientists based in South Africa, authored … More Breakthrough African Academic Report Shows Basis for Anti-Homosexuality Laws Fail Science
Groundbreaking Resolution Reflects Consensus that Policy is Outdated While Dismissing Military’s Rationale for Transgender Exclusion By Melanie Nathan, June 09, 2015. The American Medical Association (AMA), the nation’s oldest and largest physicians group with nearly 220,000 members, made history today by passing a resolution declaring that “there is no medically valid reason to exclude transgender … More Groundbreaking AMA Resolution No Medically Valid Reason for Military’s Transgender Ban
Why the Irish Vote in favor of marriage equality is so important to Homophobic Countries and leaders perpetuating lies about LGBTI people By Melanie Nathan, May 24, 2014. Ireland has become the first country in the world to legalize marriage equality by popular vote in a national election. On Friday, May, 22, 2015, Irish voters … More The Importance of Ireland’s Popular YES Vote in the Global LGBT Arena
Posted by Melanie Nathan, May 21, 2015. I am posting this Williams Institute report which links to the UNHRC Report. What stood out for me important to note in this report is the recommendation – “One recommendation asked the U.S. to ensure that religious exemptions are regulated to protect the human rights of LGBT people.” What … More UNHRC Recommends the United States Establish a National Human Rights Body
May 17, 2015, Posted by OblogdeeOblogda, IDAHOT was created in 2004 to draw attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTI people internationally. In under a decade, it has established itself as an important annual occasion celebrated in more than 130 countries, with 1600 events reported from 1280 organizations in 2014. AFRICAN HRC: Today, … More President Obama and US Organizations Commemorate IDAHOT May 17
New Rules for Affordable Care Act Implementation Are an Opportunity to Eliminate LGBT Discrimination in Health Care Posted by Melanie Nathan, April 30, 2015. Washington, D.C. – The implementation of the Affordable Care Act is changing the health care landscape for millions of people, including for many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, or LGBT, Americans. However, … More Center for American Progress Brief calls for LGBT Health Care Protections
By Melanie Nathan, African HRC, April 24, 2015. After years of persecution, Mari and Cara, a lesbian couple from Angola, whose real names have been withheld to protect family members in Africa, made their way to the Bay Area, San Francisco, where they were married in an historic and moving San Francisco City Hall ceremony … More Newly Married Same-Sex Asylum Seeking Couple Grateful for Outpouring of Love
Xenophobia a Scourge and Scapegoat felt by all immigrants also impacting LGBT refugees By Melanie Nathan, April 17, 2015. The sordid side of South Africa, reared its ugly head this past week, as Xenophobic mobs attacked foreigners and immigrants, causing at least 5 deaths in the Durban area. This brewing inferno, which spread to other … More Xenophobic Mayhem and Murder may make South Africa a Skunk Nation yet again
By Melanie Nathan, April 13, 2015. A famous Jamaican Reggae artist is begging for a visa so he can come back to the United States. Yes, America is a fine place to make money for recording and performing artists. But should we support hate with our U.S. dollars? As Americans we should be standing behind … More Jamaican Activist asks President Obama to keep Visa Ban of gay hate Reggae Artists
Posted By Melanie Nathan, April 09, 2015. Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released this statement today following President Obama’s call to end the harmful psychiatric therapies aimed at “converting” LGBT people, especially children and youth: “LGBT lives matter. Yet, we have lost too many loved ones who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender as the result … More Nancy Pelosi on Obama call for Conversion Therapy Ban
New Polling Shows Millennials Overwhelmingly Support Comprehensive LGBT Nondiscrimination Protections Posted by Melanie Nathan, April 7, 2015. Despite historic progress on marriage equality over the past decade, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, or LGBT, individuals still lack basic, enumerated protections from discrimination in several areas of life, from the workplace to the public marketplace. However, … More New Poll Shows Millennials Support Comprehensive LGBT Protections
The inhumanity is all the same By Melanie Nathan, April 4, 2015. Slaughtered by extremists – Here lies 148 students and teachers….. What kind of human slaughters another unarmed human in cold blood? A bullet to each head? What kind of human calls for the bullet to the head of all Christians? What kind of … More Playbill Kenyan Slaughter Stars Scott Lively, Matthew McLaughlin with Mohammed Kuno
By Melanie Nathan, March 30, 2015 After years on the run a young lesbian couple from an African country, surviving terrifying persecution, miraculously made their way to San Francisco where they are seeking asylum. They will no longer be waiting in the wings as their dream to marry will soon be realized. Back in 2012, … More Wedding for Asylum Seeking African Lesbian Couple at San Francisco City Hall
By Melanie Nathan, March 26, 2015. Members of the entertainment industry and technology giants are reacting to the new Indiana law which condemns LGBT people to certain discrimination. Religious Freedom Restoration Act was passed by a strong majority in the legislature, and signed today by Indiana Governor Mike Pence, despite pleas from the business industry … More Technology Giants and Entertainers Condemn Indiana Religious Law
Posted By Melanie Nathan, March 26, 2015. The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) denounces a Nevada bill singling out transgender students for discrimination. Introduced by state lawmaker Vicki Dooling, Assembly Bill 375 would prohibit transgender students in public schools from using bathrooms and locker rooms that match who they are as boys and girls. The … More Nevada Bill that Discriminates against Transgender Students Condemned
Seeking declaratory Relief before Title and Summary is Issued By Melanie Nathan, March 25, 2015 An intense backlash has developed against Huntington Beach lawyer Matt McLaughlin, who wants to qualify a Ballot initiative calling for the murder of gays for the statewide ballot in November 2016. California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today issued the … More CA Attorney General Goes to Court to stop Murderous Anti-Gay Ballot Initiative
Posted by Melanie Nathan, March 25, 2015. The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) applauds the state of Connecticut for making transition-related health care available through its Medicaid program. Connecticut becomes the 7th jurisdiction to expand Medicaid coverage for transgender health care. Yesterday, Connecticut’s Legislative Regulation Review Committee approved a regulation that repeals the … More Victory as Connecticut Lifts Medicaid Ban on Transgender Health Care
We urge all Indianans to contact Governor Pence at 317-232-4567 to ask him to veto this unprecedented attack on religious liberty. Posted by Melanie Nathan, March 23, 2015. Governor Mike Pence (R-Indiana) is being urged to veto SB 101, a piece of legislation that would be one of the most anti-LGBT laws in the … More Breaking Indiana Passes Nation’s Most Anti-LGBT Law
Please sign the Petition below By Melanie Nathan, March 18, 2015 A Pentecostal reverend, a major anti-gay protagonist, who called homosexuals evil, is set to speak at St James Church, Gerrards Cross in Buckinghamshire, in the United Kingdom and activists are outraged. The controversial preacher, Rev. Simon Peter Emiau, General Superintendent of the Pentecostal Assemblies … More Outrage at UK Visit by Ugandan Anti-Gay Pentecostal Reverend
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