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 LGBT news from the Human Rights Campaign for Wednesday, September 10th. I’m Betsy Pursell.
And I’m Bradley Mayer. First up, a historic decision in Maryland.
On Tuesday, the Maryland Court of Appeals, the state’s high court, ruled that a referendum seeking to repeal a new law prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity will not appear on a November ballot. This reversed an earlier decision by a lower court that would have put basic civil rights protections to a vote in Montgomery County. Facing time pressure as the election approached, the Court issued a short order, noting that an additional opinion will be provided later, providing specific reasons for the ruling.
Supporters of gender identity protection, including the Human Rights Campaign, breathed a heavy sigh of relief Tuesday following a months long battle. In April 2008, after Maryland Citizens for a Responsible Government protested the anti-discrimination law and worked to put it for a repeal vote on the November ballot, HRC, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and Equality Maryland, the state’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights group, formed Basic Rights Montgomery to educate the public about the protections the law would provide. The court’s decision this week places Montgomery County with 13 states, the District of Columbia, and over 100 localities that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity.
A man in Iowa is suing a McDonald’s restaurant, alleging that the he was fired because he is a gay man with HIV. Daniel Carver claims he was promised a promotion and a full-time schedule, which he did not receive. He also claims he was harassed, verbally abused and received death threats from other employees until he was fired in February 2008, four months after he started the job. Carver has since filed his claim with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission.
Meanwhile, news across the globe. Matthew Mitcham, the only openly gay male athlete to compete in this year’s Beijing Olympic Games, will grace postage stamps along with fellow Australian gold medalists. While he has yet to sign any major endorsement deals, Mitcham stood out at the Games for being the only non-Chinese diver to win gold. Mitcham will join other Australian gold medalists from this year’s Games in the stamp series, including medalists in pole vaulting, rowing, and swimming.
And the Episcopal Diocese of California is speaking up on behalf of LGBT rights, criticizing Proposition 8, which would end marriage equality across the state. The Right Reverend Marc Handley Andrus said that he stood for equal rights for all Californians. He will hold a press conference Wednesday in response to call for an interfaith alliance among Christians, Mormons, Jews, Sikhs and Hindus that would throw its support behind the controversial measure.
Finally today, a ban on marriage for same-sex couples was approved unanimously Tuesday in the Cayman Islands after lengthy legislative debate. The amendment would define marriage as between a man and a woman, but still requires the legal formality of a third vote, which will come when Governor Stuart Jack signs it into law.
That’s the news from us today. Thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking.
Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow morning.