All Entries in the "National News" Category
HRC Foundation Comprehensive State-By-State Legislative Report
2013 was the year of marriage equality, yet much work remains to be done to achieve full equality WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization, today released a comprehensive state-by-state report detailing LGBT-related legislation in 2013, a year marked by […]
GetEQUAL Mississippi Issues Travel Alert for LGBT Travelers Planning Trips to the State
JACKSON, Ms.—Today, GetEQUAL Mississippi—a statewide grassroots social justice organization working toward the full equality of all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Mississippians — issued a “travel alert” to any LGBT person planning travel to the the state. This alert has been issued based on the fact that Mississippi is on the cusp of passing […]
Same-Sex Couples & Wyoming Equality File Lawsuit Seeking Freedom to Marry
CHEYENNE, Wyoming—Today, four same-sex couples and Wyoming Equality filed a lawsuit in state court in Cheyenne challenging Wyoming’s laws that prohibit same-sex couples from marrying and refuse to respect the legal marriages of same-sex couples who married in other states. The couples include a university professor, a Major in the Army Reserve, a sheepherder, and […]
KY Federal Judge Orders Recognition Out of State Same-Sex Marriages
By: Lisa Keen/Keen News Service— A federal judge in Kentucky today ordered the state to recognize marriage licenses obtained by same-sex couples from other states. U.S. District Court Judge John Heyburn (a nominee of George H.W. Bush) issued the final order on a ruling ruled he made February 12. There were two questions at issue […]
Lance Bass Joins HRC in Speaking Out against Anti-Gay Mississippi Bill
WASHINGTON — Lance Bass is joining the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, in speaking out against Mississippi’s SB 2681, a bill that would essentially give businesses license to discriminate against LGBT customers. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer vetoed a similar bill in her state last night following […]
Arizona Governor Vetoes Anti-Gay Bill
By: Lisa Keen/Keen News Service— Republican Arizona Governor Jan Brewer has vetoed the religious bias bill. Nearly all political pundits were predicting she would veto the bill allowing people to discriminate based on self-claimed religious beliefs. On Wednesday, former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney joined the chorus of prominent Republicans who said she should. Brewer […]
Utah Same-Sex Couples to Federal Appeals Court: Uphold Decision Striking Down Marriage Equality
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah—Late Tuesday, attorneys for three couples challenging Utah’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples filed a brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, urging the court to uphold a lower court’s December 2013 decision finding the ban unconstitutional. On December 20, 2013, U.S. District Court Judge Robert […]
Federal Judge in Texas Strikes Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
By: Lisa Keen/Keen News Service— A federal judge in San Antonio, Texas, ruled Wednesday that Texas’ ban on same-sex marriage violates the U.S. Constitution and demeans the dignity of gay couples “for no legitimate reason.” Judge Orlando Garcia then granted two plaintiff couples’ request for an injunction barring the state from enforcing the ban. But, […]
AJWS: Recall U.S. Ambassadors to Anti-LGBT Uganda and Nigeria
NEW YORK, NY – American Jewish World Service (AJWS), the leading Jewish international development and human rights organization, called on U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry today to recall the country’s ambassadors to Uganda and Nigeria back to the United States in order to evaluate future diplomatic relationships with the countries. This action follows a […]
Ugandan President Planning to Sign Horrific Anti-Gay Bill into Law
President Yoweri Museveni’s reversal comes after a review of junk science from so-called “medical experts” WASHINGTON – Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is planning to sign an archaic anti-gay bill into law, according to a government spokesperson. The bill, which once even included the death penalty, calls for gay Ugandans or anyone “promoting” homosexuality to be jailed […]
Russia Officially Implements Anti-LGBT International Adoption Ban
Harsh law only portends further expected abuses of LGBT human rights WASHINGTON — Yesterday, Russia officially implemented a law preventing international same-sex couples from adopting Russian children. Additionally the law prevents any unmarried individuals in countries that allow the marriage of same-sex couples from adopting children from Russia. The edict was the official implementation of […]
Federal Judge Strikes Down Va. Ban on Gay Marriage
By: Lisa Keen/Keen News Service— A federal judge in Norfolk, Virginia, today struck down the state’s ban on same-sex couples marrying but stayed the execution of her order, that the state stop enforcing the law, pending appeal to the Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. The decision marks the first time a judge in a […]
Historic Ruling for Marriage Equality in Virginia
New progress in the Old Dominion as U.S. District Judge rules ban on marriage for gay and lesbian couples unconstitutional WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen ruled that Virginia’s ban on marriage for lesbian and gay couples is unconstitutional in the case Bostic v. McDonnell brought by the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER). […]
Kentucky Ruling is the Latest Sign of Growing Marriage Equality Momentum
Amid a landscape of victories across the country, Kentucky ruling is a major step towards full marriage equality in the Bluegrass State WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Kentucky because the latest state to have its ban on marriage equality ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge, and the case will soon join others based in Utah, Nevada, Ohio […]
Marriage Equality Advocates Celebrate 10-Year Anniversary of “Winter of Love”
SAN FRANCISCO—Ten years ago, former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom made history when he ordered the City and County of San Francisco to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. NCLR was there from the beginning of what became the “Winter of Love,” which began on February 12, 2004. We worked with the Mayor’s office to […]
