One-Fifth of LGBTQ Adults Aren’t Registered to Vote, Says New Study
A report from the Williams Institute looked at LGBTQ Americans and voter registration stats ahead of the 2020 election. Nearly nine million LGBTQ Americans are set to cast their ballots in November 2020, but a significant chunk of eligible queer adults have yet to register. A new study from the Williams…
7 Takeaways From the LGBTQ Presidential Forum
On a national stage, 10 Democratic presidential candidates answered questions exclusively about queer issues. In an ideal world, debate moderators would realize that roughly 10 million Americans identify as LGBTQ—and they would ask candidates important questions about issues like the transgender military ban or the Equality Act in front of a national audience. But instead,…
Trump Administration: It’s Legal to Fire Employees for Being Gay
The Trump administration has filed a legal brief arguing that it is legal for employers to discriminate based on sexual orientation. The Department of Justice filed an Supreme Court amicus brief on Friday (August 23), urging the justices to reject suggestions that federal discrimination laws protect gay people. The court is set…
Ricky Martin Reacts to Puerto Rico Governor’s Resignation: ‘We Did It’
‘We’ve rescued our island,’ the gay singer said. As the embattled governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rosselló, resigned, Ricky Martin praised protesters and celebrated the news. In a slow, softly-spoken Instagram video today (25 July), Martin, after over a week of protesting, described his relief over the governor’s stepping-down. This came after a winding journey…
Congresswoman Introduces Bill to Protect LGBTQ Rights Worldwide
U.S. Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada Monday introduced a bill aimed at protecting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people worldwide. The Greater Leadership Overseas for the Benefit of Equality (GLOBE) Act would codify the State Department position of Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI…
City becomes sixth in Wisconsin to ban conversion therapy
The city of Racine in Wisconsin has become the sixth in the state to outlaw conversion therapy for anyone under the age of 18. 18 states in the US, including New York and California, have currently banned conversion therapy state-wide, but Wisconsin is not yet one of them and relies on individual…
Trump Administration’s New Human Rights Commission Alarms LGBTQ Advocates
The administration’s Commission on Unalienable Rights is stacked with people who have a history of “fighting against LGBTQ progress,” critics say. The Trump administration on Monday announced the formation of the Commission on Unalienable Rights, an advisory committee that will review “the role of human rights in American foreign policy.”…
It’s 2019, and You Can Still Get Fired for Being LGBTQ in These Cities
It’s 2019. The famed Stonewall Inn is now a photo-op for pop singers releasing new albums and politicians campaigning for president. An openly gay man has claimed the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks, and lesbian players led the U.S. women’s soccer team to their fourth title since 1990. But in 25…
Gay Mormon Republican Nathan Ivie Feels ‘Free’ Since Coming Out
Mormon and Republican lawmaker Nathan Ivie has said he finally feels “free” after coming out as gay in an emotional video last month. The 40-year-old Utah county commissioner went viral last month when he posted a video online in which he spoke of his struggle in coming to terms with his sexuality.…
New York Becomes The Sixth State to Bar Gay & Transgender ‘Panic’ Defenses for Murder
The admission of a hate crime should never be an excuse for it. The New York legislators have passed a ban on Wednesday, barring the use of “gay panic” and “transgender panic” defenses in murder cases within the state. Governor Andrew Cuomo is expected to sign the bill. With this move, New…
Justice Clarence Thomas Hints Supreme Court Could Overturn Marriage Equality Ruling
Conservatives have set their sights on overturning legal precedent like gay marriage. Republican lawmakers have been trying to get the marriage equality ruling back in front of the Supreme Court, and now they’ve been given a clear signal from a justice that there is some internal support of their efforts. Justice…
Maine Bans Conversion Therapy For LGBTQ Youth
Gov. Janet Mills said the “harmful, widely discredited practice” has “no place” in her state while signing the bill into law. AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine banned gay conversion therapy for minors on Wednesday, joining more than a dozen other states that have outlawed the controversial practice. Democratic Gov. Janet…