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 Tuesday, April 1st. I’m Cuc Vu.
And I’m Sultan Shakir. First up, an update on HRC’s work in California.
HRC field organizers are on the ground in California, working with Equality for All to defeat the discriminatory "Limits on Marriage" ballot initiative. Anti-marriage equality proponents are attempting to gather enough signatures to place the measure on November’s ballot. For the latest on HRC’s efforts in California, visit the Back Story blog at http://www.hrcbackstory.org.
A growing number of clergy have declared they won’t sign any marriage licenses until their states allow same-sex couples to marry. These rabbis and ministers have vowed to perform religious ceremonies only, telling couples to go to the local courthouse for the legal paperwork. In many cases, congregants participated in the decision to implement a no-sign policy.
Grants made to GLBT organizations nationwide more than doubled from under $30 million in 2002 to more than $65 million in 2006. This number is expected to grow even larger as more and more aging GLBT people make end-of-life gifts to philanthropic groups such as the Pride Foundation. This marks a shift in fundraising trends as the GLBT movement has traditionally depended on smaller grassroots donations
Librarian Tami Alban is in the process of interviewing people in Kansas for an oral history collection of the GLBT community in the state. Albin believes it is a history not many people know about. She conceived the project in response to people viewing the Midwest as a place devoid of a GLBT community.
Two female students at Scottsboro High School in Alabama attended the prom together last Saturday. School officials had told the girls they could not attend the prom as a couple after they had already bought tickets. However, a judge ruled that the local school board could not ban same-sex couples from the event.
The gay New York couple whose wedding video was featured in the Polish president’s anti- same-sex marriage speech is currently in Warsaw, Poland. The couple has requested face-time with the president, but his office has stated a meeting is unlikely to happen. An opposition party member in Poland’s parliament has already met with the pair.
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.