HRC Blog

Yesterday, July 12, 2011, the Ohio Supreme Court held that Michele Hobbs, who supported her partner Kelly Mullen through in vitro and raised their child together for two years, did not have the right to joint-custody of the five-year-old child. In its decision, the Supreme Court affirmed decisions by the Ohio Court of Appeals and the trial-level Juvenile Court. Both lower courts found against Hobbs in her petition for joint-custody.

Today, Connecticut Governor signed into law HB 6599, a bill prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression. In addition to guaranteeing a level playing field in employment, the new law will ensure that housing opportunities are made available to all, students are free from discrimination in schools, and no one has to forego basic needs such as heat or telephone services based solely on who they are. It is well-documented that transgender and gender non-conforming individuals are shown less desirable properties for purchase or rent, are excluded from schools activities, receive less favorable customer service, or encounter outright refusal of service. This law does not prevent employers from firing incompetent employees and do not prevent landlords from turning down unqualified renters. Instead, this law simply makes sure that all employees get a fair chance at working hard to get ahead without discrimination or bias and that no one is singled out for arbitrary discrimination when it comes to areas like housing, education, public accommodations, utilities, and access to credit.

Yesterday, the President nominated openly gay U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Pitman to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas. Judge Pitman was recommended to the White House by Senators Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) and John Cornyn (R-TX) in 2009. HRC issued a letter of support for Judge Pitman’s nomination on May 7, 2009 (letter attached), and has advocated for his nomination since that time.

Today, the House Appropriations Committee marked up the FY 2012 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill. Fortunately, no anti-LGBT amendments were offered during the committee consideration of the bill.

Three state courts have recently passed down rulings affecting LGBT citizens. The cases cover varied legal issues, from the scope of a domestic partnership registry to the permissibility of a “gay panic defense.”