What President Obama Has Done for LGBT Rights and Equality

President Obama often lends his voice to the equality of all individuals, but in the scope of things he has overwhelmingly shown support for the LGBT community. May I please ask the naysayers to look at what has been accomplished in only two years, rather than act as though he hasn’t done enough. He still has work to do, and he knows that.

There have been many naysayers from inside the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community regarding what President Obama has done for LGBT rights and equality. Many who say he simply doesn’t care about LGBT rights, and/or has not fulfilled the promises he made during his campaign. There are many more who say that he has not fulfilled his promises fast enough. This is a list of the rights and equalities granted to the LGBT community under the Obama administration. I hope that this will put to rest any thoughts that our President is ignoring the importance of equality. He is indeed a proponent of civil rights. In fact, he has done more for LGBT rights than any other US President in history.

• Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (The first federal civil rights law to protect gays and lesbians)
• He instructed all federal agencies to extend benefits where possible to civilian federal employees with same-sex partners.
• He issued two Presidential Memoranda (in June 2009 and June 2010) directing federal agencies to extend whatever benefits they could, under existing authority, to the same-sex partners of federal employees. These include sick and funeral leave, long-term care insurance, travel and relocation assistance, child care subsidies, and certain retirement benefits. The State Department extended numerous benefits to the partners of Foreign Service officers, including diplomatic passports, access to overseas medical and training facilities, inclusion in housing allocations, and access to emergency evacuation.
• He ended the ban on HIV-positive immigrants and foreign visitors.
• The federal Prison Rape Elimination Commission proposed national standards to reduce sexual abuse in correctional facilities, including standards regarding LGBT and intersex inmates. In early 2011, the Justice Department proposed regulations to implement those standards.
• The State Department reversed a Bush Administration policy that refused to use a same-sex marriage license as evidence of a name change for passports.
• Health and Human Services (HHS) Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability reviewed the lifetime ban on blood donation by gay and bisexual men, concluded that it is a “sub-optimal” policy that screens out low risk donors and called on HHS to conduct research to support a move to a policy based on risk behavior, regardless of sexual orientation.
• The Department of Justice issued an opinion clarifying that the criminal provisions of the Violence Against Women Act related to stalking and abuse apply equally to same-sex partners.
• The Department of State revised the standards for changing a gender marker on a passport, making the process less burdensome for transgender people.
• The Department of Labor issued guidance clarifying that an employee can take time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act to care for a same-sex partner’s child, even where the partner does not have a legal or biological relationship to that child.
• HHS revised its funding guidance around abstinence-only-until-marriage sex education programs, requiring that recipient programs are inclusive of and non-stigmatizing toward LGBT youth, and mandating that they include only medically-accurate information.
• HHS awarded a $900,000 grant for the creation of a national resource center on LGBT aging issues to Services & Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Elders (SAGE). HHS also awarded a $13.3 million grant to the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center to create a model program supporting LGBT and questioning youth in the foster care system.
• At the request of HHS, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued a lengthy report in March 2011 detailing the range of areas in which more research is needed on LGBT health needs.
• In March 2011, HHS sent a number of recommendations to the White House for policy and regulatory changes that HHS could undertake to improve the health of LGBT people, including: collection of LGBT health data, guidance for states on including LGBT families in federal welfare programs, and guidance for states on protecting the financial resources of a same-sex partner when his or her partner enters long-term care under Medicaid.
• He announced new regulations through The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)  that recognize LGBT families for federal housing programs and prohibit discrimination in getting federally insured mortgage loans.
• The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) added gender identity to the equal employment opportunity policy governing all federal jobs.
• He appointed more than 100 openly gay people in his administration, some of which include the government’s top personnel official and the head of the Council for Environmental Quality.
• He issued Presidential Memorandum in April 2010 directing HHS to issue regulations requiring all hospitals receiving Medicaid and Medicare to prohibit discrimination in visitation against LGBT people. HHS issued regulations that went into effect in 2011.
• He awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to gay icons Billie Jean King and Harvey Milk.
• He hosted a White House summit on bullying and recorded a video message telling young LGBT individuals that “It Gets Better.”
• He ordered the data to be released of legally married gay couples from the 2010 census, granting legitimacy of same-sex relationships.
• HHS rescinded provisions of a Bush-era rule which allowed health care providers to refuse to provide any health care service or information for a religious or moral reason.
• He championed the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, a 17-year-old ban barring LGBT individuals the right to serve openly in the military.
• He wants Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which will prohibit employers from considering sexual orientation in hiring and firing decisions. This legislation however, is currently stalled in the Senate.
• He also wants to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which bars legally sanctioned same-sex couples from reaping Social Security survivor payments, tax breaks and other benefits reserved for straight married couples. This legislation is also being held up in a highly conservative House of Representatives, and will probably not see repeal for at least two years.

make the jump here to read the full posting

Via JMG: More Lies From Matt Barber & The AFA

The above headline from the American Family Association is a completely outrageous lie currently being spread all over the Christianist blogosphere by Liberty Counsel liar-in-chief Matt Barber. Barber recently attended a conference on pedophilia which was organized by a tiny bizarre sect of weirdos called B4U-ACT.

And since those freak show conference attendees mentioned the APA guidelines on mental illness (according to Barber and the AFA), that means the APA is totally thinking about removing pedophilia from the list. Just like they were forced to do with homosexuality. In reality, of course, no such action is planned or will ever fucking happen in ten million years.

Matt Barber, the American Family Association and their vile ilk scarcely even pretend to be telling the truth these days. They know very well that their audience is uninterested in anything that doesn't viciously vilify and demonize gay people.

Labels: AFA, douchenozzles, hate groups, liars, Liberty Counsel, Matt Barber, pedophilia

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Santorum On Rep. Maxine Waters

"Well, y’know, it’s Maxine Waters. She’s a caricature of what’s wrong with Congress. She’s vile and she’s always been that way and she’s just one of these real nasty, anti-basic traditional and fundamental values of this country. And so I’m not surprised." - Rick "Frothy Mix" Santorum, first out of the box to go after what Mediaite is calling the "Waters pinata" after she said the Tea Party can "go straight to hell."

Labels: losers, Rick Santorum, Tea Party, teabaggers

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Anti-Immigrant Hate Group Threatens Violent Overthrow Of Government

"We’re no longer referring to him as President Barack Obama, our national organization has made the decision and made the announcement we now refer to him as Dictator Barack Obama. That’s what he is. And basically at this point, if you’re looking for a peaceful, political recourse there really isn’t one that we can think of, and I’m really not sure what to tell people out there than I guess they need to make decisions soon to just accept whatever comes next or some type of extra-political activities that I can’t really talk about because they’re all illegal and violent." - William Gheen, head of Americans For Legal Immigration.

Labels: hate groups, immigration, racism, treason

Via Folha.uol.com.br: OAB discute casamento e adoção para casais gays

Casamento e divórcio, proteção contra a violência doméstica, acesso à adoção e à herança, além de punição a atos discriminatórios.
Esses são alguns dos direitos que a Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil pretende estender a homossexuais, bissexuais, transexuais, travestis, transgêneros e intersexuais.
Um anteprojeto de lei e uma PEC (Proposta de Emenda à Constituição) foram elaborados pela comissão de diversidade sexual do Conselho Federal da ordem e serão apresentados na terça-feira (23).
O anteprojeto cria o Estatuto da Diversidade Sexual, que prevê, por exemplo, o oferecimento de iguais oportunidades de trabalho e a criminalização da homofobia.
Os direitos do estatuto não poderão ser ignorados pelos legisladores, diz Maria Berenice Dias, presidente da comissão. "Um dia vão ter que aprovar", disse em evento.
O estatuto aborda um tema controverso: quando operar intersexuais --pessoas cujo sexo não é identificado como padrão masculino ou feminino, tratadas no passado por "hermafroditas". O anteprojeto proíbe cirurgias irreversíveis em crianças intersexuais se não há risco de morte.
Para Anibal Guimarães, colaborador do texto, a decisão sobre a operação deve ser tomada quando a pessoa tiver maturidade para entender o diagnóstico.
No Hospital das Clínicas de São Paulo, a cirurgia é feita quando o distúrbio do desenvolvimento sexual é identificado."É mais saudável que deixar a criança ser criada ambiguamente", diz Elaine Costa, do serviço de atendimento a esses pacientes.
As propostas atingem também heterossexuais, já que a "licença-natalidade" pode ser usufruída independentemente de sexo e orientação sexual. Nos primeiros 15 dias após o nascimento ou a adoção, a licença vale para ambos. Nos outros seis meses, os pais podem se alternar.
O estatuto precisa ser aprovado pelo pleno do Conselho Federal da OAB, antes de ser levado ao Congresso.
Para que as medidas não esbarrem na inconstitucionalidade, a comissão elaborou uma PEC que institui o casamento civil independente de orientação sexual, a licença-natalidade e bane a discriminação em função de orientação sexual ou identidade de gênero.

Editoria de Arte/Editoria de Arte/Folhapress

o link aqui

BRYDAY The Adventures Of A Gay Dad

More sad homophobia from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States

August 19, 2011

(((  name address removed  )))

Dear Bahá'í Friend,

Please accept our apology for the delay in following up with you regarding your email of January 10, in which you asked about possible ways that the Bahá'í community might be more supportive of the gay community. Regrettably, the press of work at the National Center has prevented us from responding sooner. After giving your questions careful consideration, the National Spiritual Assembly wishes to convey to you the following.

Your first question was when would homophobia be officially addressed within the Bahá'í community as something to be eliminated, comparable to prejudices based on gender and race. Actually, the letter you cited (written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, dated October 27, 2010 and quoted in our January 3, 2011 letter to the American Bahá'í community) includes a clear statement on this topic: "Bahá'ís are enjoined to eliminate from their lives all forms of prejudice and to manifest respect towards all. Therefore, to regard those with a homosexual orientation with prejudice or disdain would be against the spirit of the Faith." The House of Justice also writes that "it is important to understand that the Bahá'í community does not to seek to impose its values on others, nor does it pass judgment on others on the basis of its own moral standards." In addition, the Faith teaches that all people, whether Bahá'ís or not, should be treated
 with compassion.

Some aspects of the issue of homosexuality as publicly debated, however, differ from other forms of prejudice, in that they would fall into the second category described below (which is excerpted from the same House of Justice letter noted above):

In working for social justice, Bahá'ís must inevitably distinguish between those dimensions of public issues that are in keeping with the Bahá'í Teachings, which they can actively support, and those that are not, which they would neither promote nor necessarily oppose.

This is because, as you know, the Writings state that the practice of homosexuality is not permitted, that marriage is a union between a man and a woman, and that sexual relations are restricted to a couple who are married to each other. Thus, while it would be inaccurate to characterize the Bahá'í community as homophobic, characterizing it as fully supportive of the homosexual lifestyle would be inaccurate as well.

You also ask, in light of the tragically high incidence of suicide among gay teens, whether the Faith could play a larger role in addressing prejudice against gays and lesbians. While the National Assembly does not currently have plans to contribute to the national dialogue on such issues, it is permissible for knowledgeable believers to do so as individuals.

Similarly, although the National Assembly also does not have plans to appoint a task force to help address the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) Bahá'ís and educate the community concerning related issues, a few individuals already have developed programs which are being presented in local communities and in various other settings. The National Assembly is learning from their experiences and will see how these efforts develop over time.

Concerning Bahá'í GLBT Gatherings, which would be similar to the Black Men's Gatherings, the National Assembly believes that the Bahá'í Network on AIDS, Sexuality, Addictions and Abuse (BNASAA) serves the purposes you desire, and feels that there is no need to create a new association devoted specifically to homosexuality. BNASAA does cover a broad spectrum of interests, as you have noted, but many of its resources and activities, such as workshops at its conferences, are more narrowly focused. We also wish to clarify that the purpose of the Black Men's Gatherings is not to address racial prejudice, but to promote service on the part of a specific racial group to the Cause of God.

Your thoughtful questions, and your earnest striving to help others and to apply the principles of the Faith in your life, are deeply appreciated. Be assured of the National Spiritual Assembly's prayers on your behalf, that the Blessed Beauty may guide your steps and surround you with His love and confirmations.

With warm Bahá'í regards,
 
Kenneth E. Bowers
Secretary

National Spiritual Assembly of the
Bahá'ís of the United States

Via the CoffeeParty:

He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself. 

~ Thomas Paine

Via JMG: Quote Of The Day - Slaggie Gilamonster

"We need someone who does not just talk the talk, but walks the walk on marriage. That is why we asked all the GOP candidates to sign NOM's 5 point marriage pledge. Bachmann, Santorum and Romney have. Why hasn't Herman Cain? President Obama claimed he supported traditional marriage but then failed to follow through. If Herman Cain wants to distinguish his position from President Obama, he should commit to concrete actions, not just rhetoric in support of marriage." - Slaggie Gilamonster.

RELATED: NOM's anti-gay hate pledge includes a promise to establish a presidential commission to investigate the "harassment" of anti-gay Christians. Hey, stop hassling all those Christians beating you with bats! You're infringing on their religious liberties!

Labels: assholery, bigotry, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, hate groups, Maggie Gallagher, NOM, religion, the Gorn

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: MADRID: Police Bust Man Claiming Plot To "Kill Queers" At Anti-Papal Protest

"I have hydrochloric acid and 50 bottles of benzyl bromide, with that we can make a good asphyxiating mixture. We have less than eight days to get organised, to kill queers and in the name of God. Come on mates, we need some fertilizer, I repeat we do not need money, just bring fertilizer, naptha, gunpowder or matches or a lighter will do. The only aim is to kill these dirty queers. On their anti-pope march is a good time to get them together and impale them and then burn them as queers." - Jose Alvano Perez Bautista, a Mexican national studying in Madrid.

Here's the news story about Bautista's arrest.

A Mexican chemistry student accused by police of plotting a gas attack on anti-papal protesters said he only meant it as a "joke" and has been released from jail, a court said Thursday. Spain's National Court said in a written ruling that 24-year-old Jose Alvano Perez Bautista's comments on an Internet page could result in charges of making aggravated or even terrorist threats. The student, who was among 30,000 volunteers for World Youth Day celebrations led by Pope Benedict XVI, is accused of making threats on a page of online newspaper La Voz Libre (The Free Voice). Spanish police had originally accused him of actually plotting a gas attack on the protesters. "Obviously, this is a reduction in the level of crime because they did not find elements that could constitute hazardous tools for action," Mexican embassy spokesman Bernardo Graue told AFP.

Bautista claims that his threats were only meant to incite fear and reduce attendance at the anti-Pope protests. He is a volunteer organizer for the Pope's visit.

 
reposted from Joe

Via AmericaBlogGay: Hate group attacks Obama administration for supporting suicide prevention effort

Just when you think Tony Perkins and his fellow band of homophobes at the Family Research Council, a designated hate group, can't sink any lower, they do. Via Right Wing Watch: 

Today in the mail I received a letter from the Family Research Council seeking to use the "It Gets Better" project to outrage right-wing activists into opening their wallets and donating money to FRC.

In it, FRC said it was "disgusting" that the Obama administration would support this effort, calling homosexuality both "immoral" and a "perversion" and accusing activists of using the project in order to "recruit [kids] into that 'lifestyle'."

Yep. "It Gets Better" is just horrible. 

Jeremy Hooper lets them have it: 

Considering president Tony Perkins went on NPR and said that gay kids commit suicide because they know they are "abnormal," the following document probably shouldn't come as any surprise. But when you consider that this condemnation of the "It Gets Better" project and LGBT youth in general was used to RAISE.FUNDS. for the Family Research Council and its work supporting the GOP, the attack takes on a whole new weight.

There are many, many, many reasons that FRC is a hate group. This is a shining example of why.

Via AmericaBlogGay: Big News from Denver: Sujey’s deportation halted by Immigration Judge

Following up on the post about Sujey and Violeta from earlier today, looks like the couple got some good news. Sujey's deportation has been halted by an immigration judge. Lavi Soloway just tweeted:

 

Victory! Denver Judge Halts Deportation 4 Sujey & Violeta, Sets 2012 Date to Consider Marriage-Based Application http://t.co/lmzihrX

UPDATE @ 7:02 PM: Lavi sent this statement:

"Today Immigration Judge Mimi Tsankov halted the deportation of Sujey Pando and scheduled a new hearing to consider an application based on her marriage to her U.S. citizen wife, Violeta Pando. Because today's hearing was intended to be a final decision day on Sujey's deportation, the judge's action was unusual; she spent 45 minutes methodically considering the procedural posture of the case. In the end, the Judge set aside the intended purpose of the hearing, citing developments including the Attorney General's intervention in a similar case in May (Matter of Dorman) and noted that the issues involved in this case existed in a context that was "fluid" and "in a state of flux." The Judge referred to events that occurred as recent as yesterday as having an impact on how to proceed. Yesterday, the DHS Secretary Napolitano ordered a review of all pending deportation cases for possible closure, including those involving LGBT families." 

Congrats to Sujey & Victoria. And, great work by their legal team, led by Lavi.

Violeta and Sujey

Jeanne Moos - The Best Tv Interview Walk Offs

Via JMG: Perkins: 'It Gets Better' Is Disgusting

Right Wing Watch reports that the Family Research Council's latest plea for donations uses the It Gets Better Project as its topic. Because anti-bullying efforts are "disgusting" and all good Christian children should have the right to beat those "perverts" whenever they deserve it.

Labels: bullying, Christian Love, douchenozzles, Family Reseach Council, fascists, hate groups, Tony Perkins

reposted from Joe

Tim Hardaway turns it all around, and is now publicly supporting gay rights

Via Yahoo Sports

Usually when a famous person goes on an offensive rant that flies in the face of tact or compassion or both at the same time, the real hope that stems from the expected fallout is that the voice behind the rant will come around to a more enlightened way of thinking. And not, as is usually the case, just issue the standard "to anyone I may have offended" apology before moving on.


Former NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway, who infamously and proudly stated his homophobia in a radio interview four years ago, has done a bit more than move on. Not only has he taken on a kinder view of the LGBT community, but he's also standing up for those who are trying to stand up for its rights. The Chicago native and Miami denizen was back in El Paso, Texas, this week (where he went college) to lend his support to a trio of politicians who are in danger of being recalled due to their stance on gay rights.

The El Paso Times can take it from here:

Via JMG: "Mommy, They Are Just Like Me"

This is too good to excerpt. Just go read it.

Labels: GLEE, possibly gay youth, television

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: NEW JERSEY: Bridal Shop Rejects Lesbian Patron For Her "Illegal" Wedding

An opinion columnist from the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the manager of a bridal shop in New Jersey has refused the business of a lesbian because her coming wedding constituted "illegal activity."

Apparently, Donna was stunned to learn, after reviewing your customer-information sheet, that you're a lesbian. On the paperwork, you'd crossed out the word "groom" and written "partner" instead, and then inserted your fiancée's name. "She said she wouldn't work with me because I'm gay," you recalled. "She also said that I came from a nice Jewish family, and that it was a shame I was gay. She said, 'There's right, and there's wrong. And this is wrong.'" She also said - and you have the voicemail to prove it - that what you were planning was "illegal" and that "we do not participate in any illegal actions." "I was devastated," you told me. "I was crying. I called her a bigot; I told her, 'I am a happy person and you are a miserable person.' Then she hung up on me." You admit to using some choice words when you called her back. But trust me, whatever you said was probably poetry compared with what I believe most decent people would've spewed at her on your behalf.

(Tipped by JMG reader Frank)

Labels: assholery, gay weddings, New Jersey, retail

reposted from Joe