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 Friday, July 18th. I’m Sarah Birnie.
And I’m John Lake. First up, HRC applauds a Senate decision to end discrimination.
Yesterday, the Senate voted to reauthorize the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a global AIDS relief initiative. Attached to the bill is a provision that would repeal a discriminatory ban on HIV-positive visitors and immigrants from entering the United States. It was brought to the table by co-sponsors Senators John Kerry and Gordon Smith. The ban, on the books for over 20 year, has long been criticized for its questionable public health value.
The California Supreme Court ruled unanimously Wednesday that Proposition 8, an initiative to ban marriage for gay and lesbian couples, will remain on the state’s November ballot. The court rejected arguments that voters had been misled when they signed petitions to put it on the ballot. Some argue the proposition is illegal because the signatures had been gathered prior to the actual Supreme Court decision to embrace marriage equality.
Police in Dubai have detained 17 foreign men for allegedly being gay and wearing women’s clothing in public. Dubai’s police chief says the arrests are part of a campaign against GLBT tourists. Homosexuality remains illegal in the Muslim city-state.
The Board of the South Carolina Pride Movement has agreed to pay a five thousand dollar fee for an international advertising campaign aimed at attracting tourism to the state. The theme of the ad, “South Carolina is so gay,” was deemed inappropriate by Governor Mark Sanford, who cancelled the campaign.
The Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation are calling on the Boston Herald to apologize for using offensive slang to address transgender individuals in the headline and body of a July 7th article. The story spotlighted a Boston police detective who went undercover as prostitute. The MTPC and GLAAD claim the Herald sensationalized the story, shifting focus more on transgender prostitutes than other prostitutes.
A Homeowners Association in suburban Orlando has banned gay and lesbian couples from renting their homes, stating that the community is only for the families of married, straight couples. While Orlando does have an ordinance protecting gay and lesbian couples who purchase homes, there is none for renters. County Commissioner Bill Segal says he may consider introducing an ordinance to protect gay and lesbian couples who rent.
That’s the news from us today. Thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking.
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