In the News

7/13/2010

"Calling the discriminatory policy 'one of the most pressing civil rights issues in our great country today,' attorneys challenging 'don't ask, don't tell' in federal court said Tuesday the U.S. government has no legitimate basis for maintaining the ban on gay soldiers serving openly in the armed forces.

7/7/2010

"A federal court has ruled in favor of a former Georgia state legislative aide who claimed she was fired after telling her boss she would come to work dressed as woman as she transitioned from man to woman.

"U.S. District Judge Richard W. Story wrote in his ruling Friday that Vandy Beth Glenn’s firing violated her constitutional rights under the Equal Protection Clause.

"Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed a civil-unions bill yesterday after concluding it was the equivalent to marriage, which she believes should be reserved for a man and a woman.

7/7/2010

"In a controversial last-minute decision, Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle Tuesday vetoed legislation that would have allowed same-sex civil unions in her state. The move was a setback for gay rights groups, and once again thrust Hawaii onto the frontlines of the national battle over gay marriage.

"Moments after the veto, gay rights groups resolved to continue fighting to legalize same-sex unions there.

"Gay rights advocacy group Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii released a joint statement saying they had readied a lawsuit.

7/1/2010

"The last time the state of Arizona seemed even remotely forward-thinking was in the fall of 2008, when then-Gov. Janet Napolitano approved benefits for all domestic partners of state employees.

7/6/2010

"A federal judge ruled late Friday that the Georgia General Assembly illegally discriminated against Vandy Beth Glenn, a transgender woman, by firing her from her job as a legislative editor when she announced her plan to transition from male to female.

"...Beth Littrell of Atlanta, staff attorney for Lambda Legal which is representing Glenn in the lawsuit, said she was 'thrilled and relieved but not surprised' with the judge's ruling because it was clear those working for the General Assembly who fired Glenn broke federal law.

6/26/2010

"On this date in 2003, the Supreme Court, in a landmark decision, repealed Texas' 'Homosexual Conduct' law, in a 6-3 decision, declaring laws against sodomy unconstitutional.

"The court's ruling forced thirteen additional states to repeal laws that criminalized only same-sex conduct. The high court's decision also repealed laws that criminalized oral and anal sex of both gay and straight actors.

6/25/2010

"If Ms. Kagan is confirmed after US Senate hearings scheduled to start June 28, then the court will have certain demographics represented in numbers that 50 years ago would have seemed unimaginable: three women, three Jews, six Roman Catholics. Kagan's confirmation also would mean that, for the first time, the court would be left without any white Protestant males, who until 1993, commanded a majority of the court.

6/23/2010

"Although there's no standard definition of the 'gay panic' defense, it rests on the defendant's being so offended or shocked by sexual advances from a person of the same gender that the defendant assaults or kills the victim.

"...Jon Davidson, legal director at Lambda Legal, a national organization for gay, lesbian and transgender people, said the gay-panic defense could be used as part of an insanity defense or shown as a form of provocation.

6/20/2010

"Hawaii's highly charged issue of civil unions is about to try to clear its last hurdle as the governor ponders whether to veto a measure that would enable same-sex and heterosexual couples who are not married to receive the same protections as married couples under the law. On Monday, June 21, Hawaii Republican Governor Linda Lingle is expected to include the civil-unions bill on her list of bills she may veto. She has until July 6 to indicate her intentions. Otherwise, on that date, the measure will become law without her signature.