Equally Speaking
Good morning and thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking, your morning dose of GLBT news from the Human Rights Campaign for Friday, October 26th. I'm Brad Mayer.
And I'm Dan Jedzinak. First up, we'll start out with some news from the campaign trail.
Senator Barack Obama's gospel tour in South Carolina has been getting a lot of attention because one of the participants claims to have been "cured" of homosexuality and is an outspoken opponent of GLBT equality. The Human Rights Campaign has expressed its disappointment that the campaign has chosen to keep Reverend Donnie McClurkin on the tour but also expressed appreciation that an openly gay minister will take part. More information is on our blog at H-R-C Back Story dot org.
This year's off-year election in Virginia could be key to creating a more fair-minded legislature. To that end, HRC will be working over the next week to mobilize support for pro-equality Virginia candidates on the November 6th ballot. We'll keep you updated as the election nears.
Yesterday's Baltimore Sun reported that a group of straight black leaders in Maryland have formed a new group to engage the black community on why it should support same-sex marriage as a civil rights issue. The Maryland Black Family Alliance will be led by Elbridge James who is the former political action chairman for the Maryland NAACP.
In religion news, a number of Episcopal churches are continuing to approve religious blessings for same-sex couples. This week San Francisco-area churches approved the blessings that the group of American bishops said they would discourage in an effort to repair a rift with the worldwide Anglican Communion.
A new study shows that gay men on average make less money than their married straight counterparts. The University of New Hampshire says that gay men earn twenty-three percent less than married men and nine percent less than straight un-married men.
The Austrian Parliament has a new civil partnership proposal before it, but the bill's prospects are unclear. The sponsor says the proposal would not alter marriage law but would create a separate system to afford same-sex couples some rights under law.
That's the news from us today on Equally Speaking. Thanks for tuning in.
Enjoy your weekend and we'll see you back here again on Monday morning.