Equally Speaking
The following is a transcript of HRC’s morning news webcast "Equally Speaking." To view the current videos visit the main Equally Speaking page.
Good morning, and thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking, your morning dose of GLBT news from the Human Rights Campaign for Wednesday, July 16th. I’m Shelena Williams.
And I’m David Paul. First up, John McCain speaks out on adoption.
Senator John McCain denounced adoption by gay and lesbian couples when asked during an interview Sunday about his views on the issue. Senator McCain defended his stance, saying traditional married couples are the more ideal candidates for adoption. Ellen Kahn, director of HRC Foundation’s Family Project, says McCain’s comments are disturbing and insulting to child welfare professionals as well as the thousands of children being raised by gay and lesbian parents across the country.
Democratic Senate candidate Al Franken is now facing another primary opponent, after an attorney from a well-known family in Minnesota announced her plans to join the race. Priscilla Lord Faris says she and her relatives have donated money to Franken, who won the Democratic endorsement, but isn’t convinced he can take the seat away from incumbent Republican Norm Coleman. Lord Faris says a primary campaign will sharpen the Democrats and give Coleman a tougher challenge in November.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu asked the Anglican Communion to show unity as it works to reconcile its stance regarding GLBT people of faith. Tutu’s comments come after a protester interrupted a sermon by openly gay bishop Gene Robinson at the Anglican Conference in England. Tutu, the recipient of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize, said the current crisis is out of character with the Anglican Church’s inclusive beliefs.
A fifty billion HIV/AIDS initiative is set to move ahead in Senate this week with far-reaching support from Senators. The AIDS bill is promoted by its backers as a way to show a positive side of American foreign policy by providing resources to countries struggling to treat those who are HIV-positive. President Bush is in support of the initiative.
London Mayor Boris Johnson has nominated one of Britain’s leading gay politicians as his new Deputy Mayor. Sir Simon Milton, head of the Local Government Association, will replace the current deputy mayor, who resigned after a number of allegations over his personal life surfaced. If nominated, Milton will become the second openly gay deputy mayor serving under Johnson.
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation released its Network Responsibility Index this week, assigning a failing grade to FOX Entertainment for its infrequent representation of the lives of GLBT individuals in on-air programs. FOX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly says the network is planning to move forward with projects that include GLBT characters and that it is committed to diversity. Reilly reports that a pilot for a show titled Virtuality is in production and that is directed by Peter Berg, executive producer of the popular show Friday Night Lights.
That’s the news from us today. Thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking.
Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow morning.