Equally Speaking
Equally Speaking
Friday, May 11, 2007
First up on HRC's daily webcast, with pride month fast approaching, we have a couple of stories on that topic. The New York Times is reporting that the organizers of New York’s pride festival are threatening to cancel the event if the city does not provide a permit for better space. The post-parade festival has been held for years in the West Village but organizers say the site is cramped and unsafe and they want to move it to Chelsea. The city has denied the request but many officials are urging the mayor to reconsider.
Rome’s pride parade has been pushed back a week because of a planned visit to the Eternal City by President Bush. The event will be held on June 16 rather than June 9 because organizers say they don’t want people to have to choose between protesting the American president or visiting the parade.
Turning to Britain, a new report shows the two ads citizens most complained about last year were gay themed. The Advertising Standards Authority says they received complaints about an ad by the Gay Police Association that inferred religious bigotry was the cause of violent homophobia and another ad by Dolce and Gabbana that featured two men kissing.
A new UN report shows that while advances are being made to protect people from workplace discrimination, new forms of subtle discrimination are more prevalent. The International Labor Organization says that women, the disabled, GLBT people and those living with HIV and AIDS are more likely to suffer from actions that are not explicitly discriminatory.
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation announced this week two new ad campaigns aimed at GLBT visibility in the African-American and Latino/Latina communities. More information is available at www.glaad.org.
In February, Largo, Florida, police violently arrested Nadine Smith – executive director of Equality Florida – during a City Council hearing to fire the transgender city manager. This week the state attorney's office dropped all charges but Smith says she is angry that there have been no consequences for the officer who violently arrested her.