Tag: LGBT

North Jersey Pride to Present First “Outstanding Ally Award” at Pride Festival 2014

May 29, 2014

Founders of the Tyler Clementi Foundation, Joseph and Jane Clementi, Will Receive the Honor By Melanie Nathan, May 30, 2014.   Maplewood, N.J.- North Jersey Pride, the nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting equality, awareness, and understanding in the upper Garden State will be awarding the inaugural “Outstanding Ally Award” at its fourth annual Pride Festival on Sunday, June … More North Jersey Pride to Present First “Outstanding Ally Award” at Pride Festival 2014

Civil Rights History lost on Chad Griffin and Rea Carey

May 28, 2014

Senate Historical Office offers a Civil Rights Proponents’ Strategy For Success By Cathy Kristofferson, May 28, 2014 Today the United States Senate Historical Office gave a presentation “Civil Rights Act at 50: Civil Rights’ Proponents Strategy For Success”. This seemed a good lesson the LGBT community needs to learn as we fight discrimination, religious bigotry, and our … More Civil Rights History lost on Chad Griffin and Rea Carey

LGBTQ Organization and USDA Team up for Rural Pride

May 28, 2014

Posted by Melanie Ntahan, May 29, 2014. From The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR): The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community is alive and well in rural America and your government wants to hear from you! In a historic partnership, NCLR has teamed up with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in a new … More LGBTQ Organization and USDA Team up for Rural Pride

Poet Maya Angelou Passes Away Aged 86

May 28, 2014

Maya Angelou, a renowned poet, novelist, civil rights leader and actress whose work defied description under a simple label, has died, her publicist, Helen Brann, said Thursday. She died at her home in Winston-Salem, N.C., Brann said. A professor, singer and dancer, among other things, Angelou’s work spans different professions. She spent her early years … More Poet Maya Angelou Passes Away Aged 86

Africa’s First Openly Gay Member of Parliament

May 24, 2014

A must read interview and a testament to progress By Melanie Nathan, May 24, 2014. South Africa has just gone through an election and there is some good news for the LGBT community. Wednesday’s swearing in of the members of parliament, for South Africa’s fifth democratic Parliament,  was an especially historic occasion; it featured the … More Africa’s First Openly Gay Member of Parliament

White House Demonstration Outside Milk Postage Stamp Dedication

May 22, 2014

36 years after Harvey Milk’s death, demo questions whether there is more Obama can do to stamp out discrimination, than issue a postage stamp… By Cathy Kristofferson, May 22, 2014 Today, the White House saw demonstrators lobbying attendees gathered for the first-day-of-issue ceremony of the Harvey Milk postage stamp. Members of the LGBTQ group 1AngryOldLesbian.org urged attendees to … More White House Demonstration Outside Milk Postage Stamp Dedication

A Must See | Uganda The State of Persecution

May 16, 2014

From Torment to Tyranny   162 Incidents of known persecutory actions targeting LGBT Ugandans, reported between December and May, 2014,  indicating an enormous rise in state sponsored persecution of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Ugandans, proving absolutely that the impact of Uganda’s newly enacted Anti-Homosexuality Act is causing grave life threatening injustices. This has been exacerbated … More A Must See | Uganda The State of Persecution

Dangerous Costly Bed Quotas hurts LGBT Detainees

May 12, 2014

Center for American Progress  | RELEASE: New Analysis and Infographics Show the Dangerous and Costly Effects of Detainee Bed Quotas Washington, D.C. — New CAP analysis and infographics detail the dangerous and costly toll of the congressionally mandated bed quota on our immigration system. Beginning in 2009, Congress directed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, or … More Dangerous Costly Bed Quotas hurts LGBT Detainees

Ugandan men first to face trial after passage of harsh anti-gay laws

May 8, 2014

The World is Watching the Making of Martyrs until all Anti-homosexuality laws are decriminalized By Melanie Nathan, May 08, 2014. No matter the outcome, their lives will forever be tarnished, at least in Uganda. However with their faces splashed across world press, many  may come to regard them as martyrs, a symbol for the oppressed … More Ugandan men first to face trial after passage of harsh anti-gay laws

Federal Court’s refusal of benefits in Employee Plan shows why religious exemption hurts ENDA

May 7, 2014

Federal Court Rejects Discrimination Claim Against Catholic Hospital’s Refusal to Cover Same-Sex Spouse Under Employee Benefit Plan and ENDA is in danger Why I am calling on Freedom to Marry, NCLR, Lambda Legal, GLAAD, ACLU, Transgender Law Center,  GetEQUAL to thwart the HRC push for Senate’s ENDA By Melanie Nathan, May 07, 2014. Although both … More Federal Court’s refusal of benefits in Employee Plan shows why religious exemption hurts ENDA

Call to Boycott Barbaric Brute of Brunei Dorchester Hotels

May 6, 2014

Commonwealth urged to suspend Brunei as Planned Sharia law executions violate Commonwealth Charter By Melanie Nathan, May 06, 2014. While activists in the United Kingdom are calling on the Commonwealth to suspend Brunei’s membership because it has introduced stoning to death for consensual, non-violent behavior, including homosexuality, U.S. activists are calling for boycotts of the … More Call to Boycott Barbaric Brute of Brunei Dorchester Hotels

Hilary Rosen: The president needs to sign this damn executive order already

May 5, 2014

…so we can stop talking about it!” By Cathy Kristofferson,May 5, 2014 Uncharacteristic disclaimer: Although the following blog post might appear we have distain and regret regarding this event, we really applaud the magazines for bringing this somewhat substantive crowd together during such a star-studded feel-good discourse-free correspondents dinner weekend. We encourage The Atlantic and … More Hilary Rosen: The president needs to sign this damn executive order already

Swedish Authorities Complicit in Persecuting LGBT Uganda by Refusing Workshop Visa

May 4, 2014

Sweden and other allies have a duty to act and not just talk – you need to practice what you preach , says Bob Bwana By Melanie Nathan, May 04, 2014. LGBT activists are very upset about the denial by Sweden of a visa to a Ugandan human rights defender. It is being reported from … More Swedish Authorities Complicit in Persecuting LGBT Uganda by Refusing Workshop Visa

Belgian Parliament Resolution on Uganda

May 1, 2014

Posted by Melanie Nathan, May 01, 2014. has provided the English translation for the March 22, unanimous Resolution of the Belgian Parliament regarding Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill which was made official law of Uganda on march 10, 2014. WE REQUEST THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: 1. to emphasize the importance of respecting sexual orientation and gender identities in … More Belgian Parliament Resolution on Uganda

Uganda Seeks to Introduce More Anti-Gay Laws to Stop NGO Services

April 28, 2014

By Melanie Nathan, April 28, 2014. It is clear that the Ugandan government is doing everything that the Hitler Government did – that which preceded the holocaust. As if the scapegoating and Anti-Homosexuality Bill is not enough, now the Ugandan Government is looking to close loop-holes in its new already onerous law, which became law … More Uganda Seeks to Introduce More Anti-Gay Laws to Stop NGO Services

Shocking Story of Cameroon Police Beating 2 Women Accused of Same-Sex Relations

April 26, 2014

Court denies bail, as Cameroon Police Attempt to coerce Lesbian confession and over hundred of these cases pend trial after years languishing in jails By Melanie Nathan, April 26, 2014. Two women have been beaten and arrested in Cameroon and are facing years in prison for allegedly engaging in sexual relations together in the privacy … More Shocking Story of Cameroon Police Beating 2 Women Accused of Same-Sex Relations

Moscow Self Appointed Police with Machine Guns Raid LGBT Russian Film Premier

April 23, 2014

By Melanie Nathan, April 22, 2014. According to a note from Masha Gessen, Russian  ‘Self-proclaimed volunteer police are raiding a Moscow gallery where a Russian film about LGBT teenagers was slated to premier today. With the help of actual uniformed police armed with machine guns they are holding 200 people hostage in the space and … More Moscow Self Appointed Police with Machine Guns Raid LGBT Russian Film Premier

Ugandan Catholic Easter Message Calls for Genocide of Gays

April 20, 2014

CATHOLIC CHURCH MESSAGE IN UGANDA –  blessings to all Christians who have been working so hard to make Jinja a land free of gay persons by Melanie Nathan, April 20, 2014. The Bishop of the Jinja Diocese of the Catholic Church, Bishop Rt. Rev. Fr. Charles Wamika, in today’s Easter Message  delivered at St. Chalres … More Ugandan Catholic Easter Message Calls for Genocide of Gays

Anti-Gay LaBarbera Arrested At Last

April 16, 2014

“You’re leaving? Are you effing kidding?”  By Cathy Kristofferson, April 16, 2014 Peter LaBarbera, president of the SPLC-designated hate group Americans For Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) and co-founder of the Coalition for Family Values with ‘being-sued- for-crimes-against-humanity’, Scott Lively, has had a very bad go of it trying to spread his anti-gay hate this past … More Anti-Gay LaBarbera Arrested At Last

Lambda Legal Sues Doctor and Clinic for Denying Medical Care to Transgender Woman

April 16, 2014

“Doctors receiving federal funds cannot discriminate in providing patient care just because a person is transgender.” (Urbana, IL, April 16, 2014) – Yesterday, in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, Urbana Division, Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit on behalf of Naya Taylor, a transgender woman denied medical care after she … More Lambda Legal Sues Doctor and Clinic for Denying Medical Care to Transgender Woman

Can Someone Please Tell The Ugandans Its Impossible to Recruit Gays

April 9, 2014

BY Melanie Nathan, April 09, 2014. To Team Museveni, Bahati, Lokodo, Kedaga and the rest of you who do not understand homosexuality, and support putting gays in prison forever. PART 1 We are not soldiers. We cannot be recruited! We are human beings. We do not choose our sexual attractions. We are attracted. We cannot … More Can Someone Please Tell The Ugandans Its Impossible to Recruit Gays

South African President Zuma Respects Uganda’s Jail the Gays

April 8, 2014

Zuma proves that he is a homophobe,  as he spits on the legacy of Madiba,  and this should be his demise! By Melanie Nathan, April 09, 2014. South Africa has a Constitution that ensures equality for all, including LGBTI people. And now according to South Africa’s media, President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday “South Africa respects … More South African President Zuma Respects Uganda’s Jail the Gays

Kampala Police Commander Denied Visa to U.S.A.

April 4, 2014

While blacklisted officers cannot travel to the United States or attend any US-sponsored training program, I am hoping that many more Ugandans will be included on this blacklist, and those who need protection from Uganda’s harsh criminalizing laws will receive easy access via VISAS to the USA. By Melanie Nathan, April 04, 2014. The Ugandan … More Kampala Police Commander Denied Visa to U.S.A.

LGBT Activists Demand Their Own Stoning at Homophobic Harlem Church

March 30, 2014

STONE ME WITH THAT FIRST STONE! By Melanie Nathan, March 30, 2014. Over fifty LGBT activists protested for over an hour in the rain yesterday outside ATLAH World Missionary Church in Harlem, demanding that the church’s controversial pastor, James David Manning, emerge and administer the stonings that his public sign recently called for. Until it … More LGBT Activists Demand Their Own Stoning at Homophobic Harlem Church

Anti-Gay Christian Ugandans Rally in Shocking War on Gays

March 30, 2014

By Melanie Nathan, March 30, 2014. Updates with pics from the parade below Since the signing of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, Pastor Martin Ssempa, in the name of Christianity, has been mustering up the forces for a huge rally to further endorse and celebrate the Christian Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality era, even usurping the notion of Pride with, … More Anti-Gay Christian Ugandans Rally in Shocking War on Gays

Still No EO Relief for LGBT Employment Discrimination Despite Biden’s ‘Barbaric’ Bomb

March 28, 2014

4 possible reasons why and call for 220+ congressional allies to do more By Cathy Kristofferson, March 26, 2014 Following Monday’s street theatre action in front of the White House, we picked up the trail Wednesday, making trips to Vice President Biden’s home and Labor Secretary Perez’s office. Could they influence the President to sign … More Still No EO Relief for LGBT Employment Discrimination Despite Biden’s ‘Barbaric’ Bomb

Biden says it’s Barbaric, so why no EO Obama?

March 24, 2014

Today activists head to the White House to find out why… By Cathy Kristofferson, March 23, 2014 Saturday night Vice President Biden spoke at the Los Angeles HRC Gala. During his speech he said that no employment protections for the LGBT community was “close to barbaric“. It’s one thing for the White House to try … More Biden says it’s Barbaric, so why no EO Obama?

Shocking Hypocrisy of HRC in Fight Against Religious Bigotry

March 24, 2014

Despicable contradiction – does he take us for idiots? By Melanie Nathan, March 24, 2014. I must say I am in a state of shock at the hypocrisy of the latest HRC (Human Rights Campaign) fund raising ploy.  The fundraiser is focused on fighting religious bigotry because, as they say, our enemies are “Using religion … More Shocking Hypocrisy of HRC in Fight Against Religious Bigotry

The Pain to Gays in Africa through the Evolution of Joel Osteen

March 22, 2014

By Melanie Nathan, March 22, 2014. The Public Relations representative of Joel Osteen* sent a huge Timeline Memograph asking me to post it here on my BLOG. It was titled “The Evolution of Joel Osteen.”  I read it and all it did was brag about how he has evolved into the biggest Church in America, … More The Pain to Gays in Africa through the Evolution of Joel Osteen