More than 20,000 LGBT teens to receive conversion therapy Practice used to change sexual orientation and gender identity has been criticized by health organizations as harmful LOS ANGELES – An estimated 20,000 LGBT youth ages 13 to 17 will undergo conversion therapy from a licensed health care professional before the age of 18, according to a … More High Numbers of LGBT Teens will receive Conversion Therapy
The pleas for help continue to pour in from countries around the world, where people are attacked for being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). These are usually people who have been shunned by family, friends and government, alike, with nowhere to turn. While you may feel that there is nothing you can do to … More Gay Man in Stabbing Attack Stuck without Status
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have been 89 years old today. On this day African Human Rights Coalition is quoting the message of the Obama Foundation: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have been 89 years old today. And as people around the country and the world celebrate his legacy with acts of service, I’m thinking about something … More On Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday We Turn to the Obama Foundation Message
“Chelsea Manning is superbly qualified to run for the United States Senate, not only because she is an American who meets all the legal requirements, but also because she has the courage to challenge and shake up a supremely flawed elitist system” Melanie Nathan. Yup call me haughty – that is me quoting me! My … More Why Chelsea Manning is Qualified to Run for Senate
Not only does Donald Trump’s insults to African countries reflect his racism, but also smacks of his own ignorance. I am sorry to note that many Americans display such ignorance. I was not educated in the American school system, and have witnessed the education my two daughters are receiving compared to my own school experience … More Learning About The Shitholes
Uganda’s ministry of Foreign Affairs has on Friday confirmed reports that the United States of America has expelled a Ugandan diplomat Dickson Ogwang from Washington DC. Ogwang’s forced return from the U.S was confirmed by spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Margaret Kafeero, who refused to divulge details of the diplomatic incident. However, it is … More Ugandan Diplomat Expelled from US After Beating his Wife
In my capacity as the Executive Director of The African Human Rights Coalition (African HRC) , I made the following statement with regard to President Donald Trump’s recent offensive and derogatory behind closed doors remarks: It has been confirmed through lawmakers that at an Oval Office meeting on immigration, United States President Donald Trump remarked, … More African Human Rights Coalition Response to Trump SHITHOLE Comment
District 1 Supervisor takes over for District 5’s Judy Arnold San Rafael, CA – Damon Connolly, who represents San Rafael and the adjacent unincorporated neighborhoods as District 1 Supervisor, was sworn in January 9 as President of the Marin County Board of Supervisors. Connolly, a Terra Linda resident, took the gavel from previous Board President … More Damon Connolly Takes Reins as Marin County Board President
With thanks to the The Williams Institute (UCLA School of Law) : Georgia, USA, laws that criminalize people living with HIV have resulted in 571 arrests from 1988 to September 2017, according to state-level criminal history record information analyzed by the Williams Institute. Findings show some disparities in enforcement of the laws based on race, … More The First Report to Look at HIV Criminalization in Georgia
DACA-Recipients, Legal Experts, and Advocates: DACA-Lawsuit Developments Underscore Heightened Need for Dream Act Washington, DC – On a press call today, DACA-recipients, legal experts, and advocates explained the details and implications of the preliminary injunction against the administration’s DACA-revocation and the urgent need for Congress to enact the bipartisan Dream Act by January 19th. I … More DACA Crisis Heads Toward Emergency
San Francisco, CA – The Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS) denounces the Trump Administration’s heartless decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nearly 200,000 Salvadoran nationals who have been part of our communities for many years. Revoking their status is profoundly inhumane and will exacerbate conditions of violence and instability in El … More Denouncing Termination of TPS for El Salvador
Today the United States Supreme Court denied review in two cases, Campaign for Southern Equality v. Bryant and Bryant v. Barber, both challenging Mississippi’s HB 1523 passed in April 2016 and effective in October 2017. The Court’s decision not to hear the cases means the worst-in-the-nation anti-LGBTQ law will remain on the books in Mississippi. … More SCOTUS Denies Review in Cases Challenging Mississippi’s Anti-LGBTQ Law
Just like the White House Insistence on Poison Pills in Exchange for the Dream Act On Tuesday, the White House will host nearly twenty lawmakers to discuss immigration. The list of White House-selected invitees is an unfortunate reflection of where the Administration and Republican strategy seems to be leaning: it is loaded up with anti-immigrant … More White House Meeting on Immigration Unbalanced Unserious Unconscionable
NEW YORK, NY January 3, 2018 — The Business Equality Network announces its second annual BEQ Pride LGBTQ Business Equality Excellence Awards. Our recipients include 156 major employers and four sports organizations, all of which have demonstrated their comprehensive commitment to LGBTQ business equality. The full list of winners and a geographic breakdown by state … More Business Equality Network Announces Second Annual LGBTQ Business Equality Excellence Awards
Washington, DC – Last week, Muslim Advocates and the law firm of Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler, LLP filed an amicus brief on behalf of 87 religious groups and organizations representing or working with faith communities asking the United States District Court of the Eastern District of New York to suspend the government’s planned termination … More 87 Faith and Civil Rights Groups File Amicus Brief in Support of DACA Recipients in New York
National Religious Leadership Roundtable calls out Catholic Bishops’ ill-conceived, trans-denying letter (December 22, 2017 – Washington, DC) After a group of anti-LGBTQ religious leaders drafted a letter about the transgender community that claimed transgender people are a “false” idea, the National LGBTQ Task Force’s National Religious Leadership Roundtable offered up some advice: reach out and … More Catholic Bishops Called out on Trans-denying Letter
Through 2018, upwards of $1,500 in fees waived for certain in-home rentals San Rafael, CA – With Marin County experiencing a severe housing crisis, especially for affordable homes for lower income residents, the County of Marin is encouraging the creation of room rentals within existing residences. The Marin County Board of Supervisors recently voted to … More Marin County: Incentives Created for Second Dwelling Units
Ninth Circuit Slaps Down Trump’s Travel Ban a Third Time: Via The Recorder : The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld an injunction against the third iteration of President Donald Trump’s travel ban executive order Friday. The court, which heard oral arguments in the case last month, ruled that Trump exceeded his authority … More The 9th Circuit’s Xmas Gift to Trump: Slaps Down Trump’s Travel Ban a Third Time
Pride 2018: “We must ensure the stories of our generations of elders are not lost and that our youth know how to harness the strength built by generations. Most importantly, our youth need to know how to use their own strength both individually and collectively to face the future,” noted Larry Nelson whose San Francisco Pride theme … More Generations of Strength, noted as Registration for San Francisco Pride 2018 Opens
But you can pay second installment of your property taxes before 2017 is done San Rafael, CA – The federal overhaul of the tax code has some Marin County residents asking the County’s tax collector if 2018 taxes can be paid in advance. Although the President of the United States had not signed the bill … More Marin County: Sorry, It’s Too Early to Pay 2018 Taxes
Responds to weeks of escalating pressure from immigrant youth in CA and Washington to pass the Dream Act California, Washington, D.C. – With less than two days remaining this year to pass the Dream Act, immigrant youth successfully pushed Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) to commit to vote NO on any Continuing Resolution that does not … More BREAKING: Sen. Feinstein to Immigrant Youth: “No Continuing Resolution Without the Dream Act!”
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – A Pentagon memo proves that the Justice Department misled a federal court by claiming that the military is unprepared to accept transgender applicants on January 1st. The memo, whose subject is “Transgender Applicant Processing,” consists of a simple set of instructions for processing applications, and was distributed to commanders on December … More Pentagon Document Proves Justice Department Misinformed Federal Court about Transgender Ban
Short pictorial of my personal 2017 year in review… A most interesting variety of Heroes and Zeroes, from the President of the United States to a local Marin County lawyer – From Donald Trump to Mercedes Gavin – read on….. Reflecting on Last year: THIS IS WHAT I wrote in 2016 for the O-blog-dee-O-blog-da 2016 … More Heroes and Zeroes 2017
New York, NY – Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund applauds an Oklahoma jury’s verdict today in favor of an English professor who was fired from from her teaching job on the basis of her sex. Dr. Rachel Tudor was denied tenure and terminated from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Oklahoma in 2011 after she … More TLDEF Applauds Oklahoma Jury’s Verdict in Favor of Wrongfully Fired English Professor
… even though for reasons having little to do with his homophobia – but at least there is hope for a future administration that would now be more likely to embrace equality like its neighboring South Africa” Melanie Nathan, African HRC. Like many Africans I am so happy to see Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe ditched by his … More Zimbabwe Ditches Homophobic Mugabe
“Kenya has become a ‘safe haven’ for those fleeing war and famine in neighbouring states. But in secret hideaways and temporary homes, LGBT refugees are being forced – once again – to hide their true selves instead of walking out into the world with pride …” Article by Jacob Kushner – Huck Magazine DONATE TO … More Huck Reflection on Vulnerable LGBT Refugees in Kenya
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COALITION, CALIFORNIA GROWERS ASSOCIATION AND CALIFORNIA MINORITY ALLIANCE FORM IMPORTANT COLLABORATION TO STRENGTHEN CANNABIS INDUSTRY’S GRASSROOTS AND PUBLIC POLICY EFFORTS IN CALIFORNIA Groups to Leverage Local and State Policy, Social Justice, Grassroots Organizing, Advocacy and Industry Expertise to Help Take California’s Cannabis Industry to Next Level LOS ANGELES—Southern California Coalition (SCC), the largest, … More Collaboration to Strengthen Cannabis Industry’s Efforts in California
By Human Rights Campaign Based on TLDEF’s Anti-Discrimination Cases Based on two successful proceedings brought by the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Walmart’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI) rating has been suspended by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). The CEI is a rating of LGBT equality at corporations … More Walmart Corporate Equality Index Rating Suspended
Join WOMEN’S MARCH SAN FRANCISCO on January 20th to march and rally in Civic Center San Francisco! More information on the day to come as we get closer to the event. On January 20, 2018, Women’s March San Francisco will unite along with multiple other cities in California to reaffirm our commitment to building a … More Women’s March is Up and Running January 20, 2018
Civil and Human Rights Coalition Criticizes Senate Judiciary Committee Approval of Ideological, Inexperienced Nominees WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee today voted, on a party-line basis, to advance the nominations of Gregory Katsas to the U.S. Court … More Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Ideological Inexperienced Nominees
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