Discrimination

Don’t you just hate it when the law actually protects the people you want to discriminate against? For those of you who believe that it’s only a cake and we (the gays) should just go to another bakery, understand this: it’s not about the cake. This has nothing to do with the cake. This is about living in a country where people are still under the assumption that they were given — by their God — the right, and the responsibility, to discriminate against another human being. [ Read more → ]

RICHMOND, Va. -- A Virginia House measure that would allow student clubs at Virginia's public colleges and universities to discriminate in their policies and membership was passed the state Senate Monday on a 21-18 vote. [ Read more → ]

SULLIVAN, Ind. -- A group of high school students and parents rallied Sunday at a local church in Sullivan, Ind., calling for a "traditional" high school prom that bans gay students from attending. [ Read more → ]

It promises to be a campaign as passionate and dramatic as any big election. For the next 14 weeks, the Boy Scouts of America will be the focus of prayers, petitions and pressure tactics aimed at swaying a vote on whether to ease its ban on gays as Scouts or adult leaders. [ Read more → ]

In addition to being deeply offensive, BSA’s policy has always struck me as profoundly stupid. Maybe it’s just my own experience, but who did they think was joining the Scouts? In my troop, at least, it wasn’t just the “normal” kids. It was those of us who were a little… off. A little too awkward. A little too hyper. A little too helpful. A little too queer. In short, it was the kind of kid who grows up to be interesting, committed, successful and, none too rarely, gay.... [ Read more → ]

LGBT advocacy groups responded Wednesday to an announcement by the Boy Scouts of America that it would delay until May a decision on whether to end its longstanding policy that prohibits gay scouts and gay and lesbian scout leaders. [ Read more → ]

IRVING, Texas — The Boy Scouts of America put off a decision Wednesday on whether to lift its ban on gay members and leaders, saying the question will be taken up at the organization's national meeting in May. [ Read more → ]

Two days before an expected vote, the Human Rights Campaign will run a full-page ad in the Dallas Morning News on Monday calling on the leadership at Boy Scouts of America to end its discriminatory policy prohibiting gay people from Scouting and adopt a national non-discrimination standard. [ Read more → ]

GRESHAM, Ore. -- The Oregon Department of Justice is investigating a complaint that a bakery in Gresham, Ore., refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex wedding, a possible violation of an Oregon law that prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation. [ Read more → ]

LANSING, Mich. -- Anti-LGBT discrimination is destructive to Michigan's economy, according to a report released Friday by the state's Department of Civil Rights. [ Read more → ]

RICHMOND, Va. -- The Virginia House of Delegates on Thursday voted in favor of a bill that would allow a religious or political university student group to participate in what could be defined as discriminatory practices, and still require the school to provide funding and access to campus facilities. [ Read more → ]

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Wyoming State Senate on Thursday defeated a bill that would have banned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. [ Read more → ]

NEW YORK — The Boy Scouts of America's proposed move away from its no-gays membership policy has outraged some longtime admirers, gratified many critics and raised intriguing questions about the iconic organization's future. [ Read more → ]

MOSCOW — Legislation being pushed by the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church would make it illegal nationwide to provide minors with information that is defined as "propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexuality and transgenderism," and includes a ban on holding public events that promote gay rights. [ Read more → ]

FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- An Army officers' spouses club at Fort Bragg, N.C., under fire for denying membership to the lesbian wife of an Army officer, has offered the spouse a "guest membership" in the group while it reviews its bylaws. The Association of Bragg... [ Read more → ]

WASHINGTON -- A leading advocacy group for LGBT service members and veterans announced Thursday it had filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request at Fort Bragg, N.C., seeking to obtain documents and correspondence relating to an officers' spouses club's refusal to admit a same-sex... [ Read more → ]

RICHMOND, Va. -- Senators and LGBT organizers gathered at the Virginia General Assembly on Thursday to announce and show support for SB701 -- a law that would re-introduce sexual orientation into the list of protected classes for state employees. "LGBT Virginians aren't asking for special... [ Read more → ]

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico's legislature is expected to approve a long sought-after bill that would make it a crime to discriminate against people based on their gender or sexual orientation. The bill was submitted Tuesday by Senator Ramon Luis Nieves of the... [ Read more → ]

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Wednesday announced a settlement agreement in a claim it brought against Bank of America for discriminating against a lesbian couple applying for a federally insured mortgage loan. [ Read more → ]

HELENA, Mont. -- The Helena, Mont., City Commission on Monday voted unanimously to approve an ordinance to prohibit discrimination in housing, employment and many kinds of public accommodations, based on sexual orientation or gender identity. [ Read more → ]