Equally Speaking
Equally Speaking
Friday, April 13, 2007
In our top story today on HRC's daily webcast, a long-awaited federal hate crimes bill has been introduced into the U.S. Senate. Senators Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts and Gordon Smith of Oregon introduced the bipartisan Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, now dubbed the Matthew Shepard Act, yesterday, which would help local authorities prosecute the over 9,000 bias-motivated crimes committed in this country each year. Joining the senators to announce the bill’s introduction was Judy Shepard, who lost her son Matthew to anti-gay hate-motivated violence in 1998.
In state news, a New Hampshire civil unions bill has made it through key committees and to the full state Senate. Having already easily passed in New Hampshire’s House of Representatives, the bill is expected to pass the Senate. However, it is not clear whether Governor John Lynch – who opposes marriage equality but is undecided on civil unions – will sign the bill into law.
In related news, New Hampshire’s openly gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson lent his support to the state’s civil union debate, saying legalizing same-sex unions does not threaten religion or families. The bishop said, “This legislation simply has nothing do to with religious bodies and their affirmation or rejection of such unions in the civil realm.”
Turning to Colorado, GLBT families may soon be celebrating now that a bill allowing gays to give homes to needy children has passed in the state Senate. Wednesday’s party-line vote means the bill will soon be on Colorado Governor Bill Ritter’s desk. Ritter has yet to say whether he intends to sign the bill.
In Arkansas, a bisexual woman has lost custody of her child after losing a court appeal. Lisa Holmes’ 8-year-old son should be removed from her custody and placed with the child’s father, Joseph Holmes, the court said Wednesday. According to the court, the decision was made on Ms. Holmes’ inability to adequately care for her son; however, the boy’s father said during the proceedings that he is entitled raise his son in a “heterosexual environment.”
Finally, in entertainment news, everyone has their own path to coming out and for actor Farley Granger, it’s never too late. In a newly published memoir the 81-year-old actor says he is bisexual. Granger is most famous for his roles in the Hitchcock thrillers Rope and Strangers on a Train.