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 Thursday, July 17th. I’m Janice Hughes.
And I’m Sultan Shakir. First up, news from Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts senate voted Tuesday to repeal a 1913 law used to bar out-of-state gay and lesbian couples from marrying in the state. The law prohibits couples from obtaining marriage licenses if they can't legally wed in their home states. The House is expected to vote on the repeal measure later this week.
The California Supreme Court is considering whether to hear arguments on a petition to keep an initiative that would ban marriage for same-sex couples off the November ballot. Advocacy group Equality California filed the petition last month, arguing that the petitions used to put the measure on the ballot were misleading. If the justices decide not to take up the case, the measure will stay on the ballot.
H&R Block has agreed to give $100 coupons or free software to gay and lesbian couples who paid additional costs because they were barred from using the company's more cost effective online tax service. The American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to H&R Block in March after a Connecticut couple was forced to visit an H&R office because the company's online service didn't support tax returns for couples who'd had civil unions. The company is now offering free online tax support for couples who joined in civil unions.
Legislators in Raleigh, North Carolina, are working on a bill to protect students in schools from bullying, but have been delayed by groups opposed to including sexual orientation in a list of reasons why students are bullied. Supporters of the bill — including school officials — believe including sexual orientation in the list is necessary to properly address school violence. The Christian Action League and the North Carolina Family Policy Council oppose explicit protections for GLBT students.
A coalition of HIV/AIDS advocacy groups is encouraging national governments to make human rights a central theme of the biannual International AIDS Conference in August. The coalition is asking the conference to focus on the discrimination and stigma attached to transgender people, gay men, and drug users. The organizations aim to convince governments to combat the epidemic by addressing laws that increase vulnerability to infection and hinder access to treatment.
In celebration of Sir Elton John and an upcoming concert he’ll be giving in Vermont—the only state an Elton tour has yet to visit—Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream has created an ice cream flavor based off his popular song "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road." The flavor, available from July 18th through the 25th in Vermont Ben & Jerry’s, is called "Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road." Proceeds from purchases of the ice cream flavor will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
That’s the news from us today. Thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking.
Have a great day, and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow morning.