UPDATE: SCOTUS announced remaining decisions including marriage equality will be released tomorrow – Wednesday. By Melanie Nathan, June 25, 2013. Every moment counts for those who have not held a partner close – in some cases for years – as SCOTUS has yet to deliver its decision on marriage equality. Today binational same-sex couples are … More Binational same-sex couples hard hit by SCOTUS wait
By Cathy Kristofferson, June 24, 2013 Last night a coalition of U.S. activists answered the call to action made by LGBT activists in Istanbul Turkey. The activists determined to help raise awareness about the Turkish government’s brutality and threatened suppression of Turkey’s Pride march, held a light panel protest in front of the Turkish Embassy … More U.S. Activists protest RESISTANBUL at Turkish Embassy in Washington D.C.
What If We Are Just Like You?/Shannon’s and Lisa’s marriage equality Song by Melanie Nathan, June 22, 2013. Sherri Gray, “straight but not narrow,” shares her love – she wrote this song for niece Shannon and her fiancée, Lisa, a same-sex couple who are getting married this summer. “I wrote this song about equal rights … More Aunt’s same-sex wedding song going viral
By Cathy Kristofferson, June 23, 2013 Even though Turkish security forces yesterday unleashed water cannons to break up a peaceful march in commemoration of those who were killed in the recent Turkish uprising, by all accounts available, Istanbul’s Trans Pride Parade today continued unaffected and was a huge success! There had been a lot of … More Thousands March in Istanbul Trans Pride Parade
SAY NYET! TO THE LAWS FORBIDDING PRIDE IN RUSSIA. Join the March from anywhere in the world #virtualpride By Cathy Kristofferson, June 22, 2013 OBLOGDEE has posted about the current wave of extremist homophobia in Russia resulting in anti-gays laws such as the so called ‘promotion’ laws and the bill to ban adoption of Russian … More Join the Moscow Virtual Pride March beat the 100 year ban
Please tell other Monarchs, especially in Africa, that being gay is OKAY By Melanie Nathan, June 21, 2013 The Crown Princess of Norway, Her Royal Highness Mette-Marit, met famed South African photographer, filmmaker and LGBTI activist Zanele Muholi recently at an exhibition of Muholi’s work in Norway. The event took place last night at the Kunstplass … More South African Lesbian photographer’s big ask of Norway’s Crown Princess
By Cathy Kristofferson, June 20, 2013 Turkish LGBT rights activists and organizations in Istanbul have posted requesting our support and solidarity. We have previously blogged about their threatened Pride Parade here on OBLOGDEE. Now due to the Taksim Gezi Park actions and resulting police crackdowns both their June 23rd Trans Pride March and the June 30th LGBT Pride March … More Resistanbul – Call to actions from Istanbul LGBT Pride
By Melanie Nathan, June 19, 2013. The Trevor Project, the leading national organization providing crisis intervention to LGBTQ youth, will ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Thursday, June 20th. The organization celebrates its 15th “birthday” this August and will premiere its latest public service announcement, “Ask For Help,” at NYSE. … More Trevor Project to mark 15th Anniversary by ringing opening NYSE bell
“If they feel strongly about human rights they should boycott the Olympics in Sochi.” By Cathy Kristofferson, June 18, 2013 RUSA LGBT, a Russian-Speaking American LGBTQ group in New York City, is calling for a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The lower house of the Russian Duma last week unanimously passed their … More Call to Boycott Olympics in homophobic Russia reminds of Apartheid South Africa
By Cathy Kristofferson, June 17, 2013 Saturday about 8 thousand marched in Poland’s annual Equality Parade, Parada Równości 2013, under the slogan ‘Fully-fledged Diversity’. Since Poland has become more accepting these days, the organizers decided to march for Russia and Eastern Europe where the LGBT communities are currently under attack. Prior to the parade bout … More Poland Pride’s success dampened by first openly gay PM assault
Ziningi & Delisile Ndlela just married – Durban June 15, 2013. By Melanie Nathan June 17, 2013. While the United States struggles, state by state, to allow legal marriages between same-sex couples and while the United States waits with bated breath to see if any of its nine justices agree that marriage equality must be … More As the U.S. waits on SCOTUS Durban lesbian wedding speaks volumes
Posted by Melanie Nathan, June 17, 2013. Two men were arrested in January after a series of incidents in London saw members of the public harassed by self-styled vigilantes who posted footage of their activities online. One included a clip showing a man being subjected to homophobic abuse. The incidents are believed to be linked … More The part of London that is not safe for Gays and Jews
By Cathy Kristofferson, June 16,2013 Idaho, like other states, has gained some protections for its LGBT community through municipal ordinances banning discrimination in housing and employment. It seems the Idaho State GOP just can’t stand that fact! Yesterday at their annual Central Committee summer meeting the Republican Party leaders of Idaho passed a non-binding resolution … More Idaho GOP resolves to reverse gay rights
Posted by Melanie Nathan, June 16, 2013. Statement by the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC): Black gay, bisexual and trans fathers, uncles and brothers play many important roles in the Black community. As caregivers, role models, providers, teachers, friends and leaders, Black gay, bisexual and trans men are invaluable threads in the fabric of the … More On Fathers Day NBJC honors the commitment of Black gay, bisexual and trans men
By Melanie Nathan, June 14, 2013. Porterville City Council, the only city council in all of California to declare its support for the anti-gay Proposition 8 in 2008, is now threatening to rescind a proclamation signed by its Mayor, who had declared June to be LGBT Pride Month in Porterville. On June 04, despite heated … More Porterville Spews More Hate by threatening to rescind LGBT Proclamation
“Religious liberty, contrary to what opponents of racial equality argued then and LGBT equality argue now, is not a license to use religion to discriminate.” By Cathy Kristofferson, June 14, 2013 Back in April when the 2013 version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was introduced into Congress we posted here and here on OBLOGDEE … More Julian Bond gives powerful statement opposing ENDA’s religious exemptions
By Melanie Nathan, June 13, 2013. Today eight members of the group Get Equal were arrested while protesting outside speaker Boehner’s office, calling attention to the House’s failure to pursue ENDA, the legislation that would end work place discrimination against LGBT people in America. The protestors were demanding that the speaker hold a floor vote … More Video of LGBT ENDA Activists Arrested at Boehner’s Office Today
“What is wrong to be humankind?” By Cathy Kristofferson, June 12, 2013 This morning I saw a post in my Facebook news feed from Istanbul LGBT Onur Haftası/ Istanbul LGBT Pride Week requesting desperately needed motorcycle helmets for the LGBT BLOCK at Taksim Gezi Park. I was really trying to figure how to beam them my helmet … More Taksim Gezi Park LGBT activists beaten arrested delivering food and medicine
By Melanie Nathan, June 12, 2013. UPDATED 6/13/20123. P.E. Herald took swift action in Apologizing to the South African Gay Community for an Ad that was placed on page 3 of their print publication: “The Herald Port Elizabeth – The Herald distances itself from the contents of this advert which goes against the basic tenets … More P.E. Herald Publishes Hate Ad designed to intimidate Gay Community
By Cathy Kristofferson, June 10, 2013 Update 6/30: President Putin today signed this bill into law. Proponents argue it is for the protection of children, but critics still allege it part of a broad crackdown on Russia’s LGBT community. For his part Mr. Putin tells international critics “We ask you not to interfere in our … More Protests and arrests as Russia’s State Duma passes anti-gay promotion bill unanimously
Predicting doom and gloom – or a publicity stunt for ratings – or a desire to jump the gun for SEO optimization- or an embarrassing mistake? By Melanie Nathan., June 11, 2013. In an over zealous attempt to be ahead, popular LGBT blog site QUEERTY, through writer Lisa Keen, jumped the gun by mistakenly hitting … More Queerty Publishes Advance Article of a “Disappointing DOMA Ruling”
Marching for LGBT Asylum | “It is illegal to be gay in 80 countries…“ By Cathy Kristofferson, June 09, 2013 I’m pretty sure last year I whined that I was never marching in Boston’s Gay Pride parade again because of the appalling corporatization. And then last week I heard that the amazing LGBT Asylum Support Task … More Boston Pride Speaks LGBT Asylum
AND A Letter from a Get Equal Lead, C.D. Kirven to the First Lady Explaining the Actions of Ellen Sturtz. The lesbian community was drawn into a controversy this week as Ellen Sturtz, a leader from the group Get Equal, attended a D.C. fundraiser and interrupted the First Lady’s speech calling attention to the fact … More Lesbian Fund Raisers and The Ellen Sturtz Fallout
By Melanie Nathan, June 06, 2013. In a dramatic and long awaited development Israeli Police have arrested 3 suspects in the Tel Aviv 2009 gay youth center shooting, that left 2 dead and 10 injured. It is believed that the motivation for the killings was based on personal revenge, according to a report by Eli Senyor … More Arrests in 2009 Tel Aviv Gay Youth Center Shootings
1893 law that makes it a criminal offense for men to wear female attire and for women to wear male attire “in any public way or public place, for any improper purpose.” By Cathy Kristofferson, June 06, 2013 Queue up another constitutional challenge outcome to await, this time from Guyana. On May 10th and June 4th … More Guyana: Challenge to colonial era cross-dressing ban after 7 convicted
By Melanie Nathan, June 06, 2013. Members of GALZ, an LGBT human rights organization in Harare, Zimbabwe, were attacked by five hammer wielding men during a board meeting at their offices. No injuries reported, however the group is extremely shaken. The attack occurred at GALZ offices around 11 am on Thursday when five unknown men … More Breaking Gay Board Members attacked with hammers at meeting in Harare
It is believed that Kasonkomona was specifically targeted amidst the Zambian government’s call to “hunt down homosexuals” By Cathy Kristofferson, June 05, 2013 The court case of Zambian Paul Kasonkomona which we have reported on here on OBLOGDEE was today transferred to that country’s High Court for the constitutional challenge Kasonkomona and his defense are seeking. … More Zambian High Court to hear Freedom of Expression challenge after call to hunt down homosexuals arrest
Porterville’s LGBT Community encounters City gay haters in venomous outburst By Melanie Nathan, June 04, 2013. It has been a long dirty battle between the LGBTQ community and some choice government officials and residents of the town of Porterville, California, culminating in tonight’s City Hall showdown, where Mayor Virginia Gurolla issued a proclamation recognizing the … More California Mayor Issues LGBT Proclamation despite Hateful City and Council Outburst
Despite all odds, the fearless continue …. and the least we can do as an international community is support this imperative statement… By Melanie Nathan, June 04, 2013. Last year, despite the climate of fervent anti-gay hostility, Ugandan volunteer LGBT activists accomplished what seemed impossible – they launched the first every Gay Pride celebration in … More Uganda Prepares for Its Second Gay Pride
Great new legal defense – “If someone was the organizer, it was Jesus Christ.” By Cathy Kristofferson, June 3, 2013 On Friday two priests attended Court to answer charges following their arrest at a riot in Tbilisi, Georgia, when thousands of anti-gay protesters, including Orthodox Church priests, descended upon an International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHOT) rally … More Jesus Christ cited as organizer of violent riot at Tbilisi IDAHO rally
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