Via JMG: BRAZIL: The Deadliest Place In The World To Be Transgender

Reeling from the murders of numerous transgender people, Brazilian activists have launched a petition campaign to the nation's president.

President Dilma Rousseff, You have said that human rights are at the “center of your politics.” In the face of a dramatic rise in attacks and murders of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Brazilians, we need your immediate support for the passage of the Anti-Homophobia law (PLC122) that will ensure that ALL Brazilians have equal protection under the law.

Organizers of the international activist group All Out write us today to request your signatures on the petition. They hope to gather 100,000 names and generate media attention when delivering the petitions to the president.

Labels: Brazil, LGBT rights, murder, transgender issues

posted by Joe

Via JMG: RNC thinks gays shouldn't be permitted to visit their partners' death bed

Wow. And you'd have thought the Republican National Committee would have gotten over the gay-baiting, what will all the senior level gays working Republican Hill offices, the RNC, and considering that the former head of the RNC, Ken Mehlman, was himself gay. You'd think with all of that, the RNC would know better than to start gay-baiting yet again. But the Republican party just can't help itself. Hate, intolerance and bigotry is what they know best, whether it's racism against blacks and Latinos, sexism against women, or homophobia against gays. If it's not about who you're supposed to hate today, the Republican party just isn't interested in hearing about it.

Check out this site run by the RNC. Attacks regarding DOMA, DADT repeal (which Colin Powell and Dick Cheney are fine with), marriage equality (which Dick Cheney supports), civil unions (which George Bush said he was in favor of all the way back in 2004), and the RNC now appears to be endorsing California's hideous Prop 8 to boot. Oh but it gets better. The RNC is outright criticizing Obama for trying to eliminate discrimination against gays in housing, and for helping gay partners visit their dying loved ones in hospitals.

There is one glaring omission on the RNC Web site. They failed to take a position on stoning gays to death. I'm sure it's a typo that will be corrected in short order.

PS And Mr. President, note that the RNC is still accusing you of supporting gay marriage, even though you now claim you don't. You don't get credit for this stuff, they're still going to accuse you of being the next Hitler regardless of what you do. Why not just do the right thing on marriage equality, and everything else gay and otherwise.

(H/t to HRC for finding out this site existed.)

OM (aum)

om mani padme hum

Lama Michel | o budismo,o Centro de Dharma e a comunidade

Who We Really Are & What We Appear To Be

Vipassana Meditation - by Ram Dass

Via JMG: HomoQuotable - Tobias Wolff

"The attempt by the Republican party to overreach following last November's elections and cripple the ability of workers to organize -- and, incredibly, to roll back protections like child labor laws, as in Maine, where Republicans are seeking to create a rotating, vulnerable and underpaid workforce that will further disempower low-wage household earners -- has generated a backlash unlike anything we have seen in half a century. Liberal and progressive forces have an opportunity to use this fight to reclaim the political agenda in America and to reframe the political narrative. LGBT advocates and the LGBT community need to be a part of this urgently important moment. We need to be visibly showing up and contributing our efforts, so that our allies in labor, in state legislatures, and in political parties and organizing committees around the country will know that we were there when it mattered. And, in putting skin in the game, we will be able to play a part in defining the agenda and narrative that will emerge from this reawakening of the American worker." - Activist and UPenn law professor Tobias Wolff, calling on the LGBT community to rise up against anti-union forces.

Labels: activism, employment, GOP, HomoQuotable, Tobias Wolff, unions

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Equality California: Should We Take Proposition 8 Back to The Ballot In 2012?

Equality California says that since it may be years before Prop 8 is resolved in federal court, it's time to talk about attempting its repeal on next year's ballot. Via press release:

Because legal experts are advising that the Proposition 8 federal challenge could take years to resolve, Equality California is launching a community engagement initiative to start a discussion on whether to return to the ballot in 2012 to repeal the marriage ban or whether to wait for a final decision by the courts. Before making any recommendation, Equality California will survey its membership, hold 10 town halls across the state and an online town hall, conduct a poll of likely 2012 voters, consult with political experts, coalition partners and engage with its members and the LGBT community. Equality California will announce results of polling and analysis by Labor Day. Details and a complete schedule for community town halls are forthcoming with initial meetings scheduled for San Francisco on May 19, West Hollywood on May 25 and San Diego on June 2.

A small but dogged campaign to place a repeal of Prop 8 on the 2010 ballot ultimately collapsed without the support of major groups like Equality California.

Labels: 2012 elections, Equality California, Proposition 8

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: IRS Ombudsman Predicts No Penalties For Married Gay Couples Filing Joint Returns

The anti-gay Alliance Defense Fund is quite unhappy with the IRS ombudsman who says that married gay couples can expect little retribution for filing joint returns.

Nina E. Olson, the national taxpayer advocate who acts as an ombudsman for the I.R.S., acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding federal taxation of same-gender spouses in an annual report to Congress. In the report, she said that taxpayers may take a filing position without penalty if there is “substantial authority” to do so, such as a court case that hasn’t been overruled by the United States Court of Appeals. And there happen to be two such cases, which are currently on appeal.

Last week the Refuse To Lie campaign launched with the warning for gay couples to seriously consider the possible ramifications.

Labels: DOMA, IRS, marriage equality, taxes

posted by Joe