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 Tuesday, September 16th. I’m Shelena Williams.
And I’m Tommy Lodge. First up, news from California.
Californian Senator Dianne Feinstein has come out against Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that would end marriage equality in California. Feinstein said late last week that the issue was a matter of “equality and fairness." Voters will decide the issue in November.
San Mateo County officials are set to vote today on a resolution opposing Proposition 8. Based on positions taken in previous years, the Board of Supervisors is expected to express its opposition to Proposition 8. The Board of Supervisors previously backed a marriage equality bill by Assemblyman Mark Leno and, in 2007, voted to support San Francisco in its fight to deem the law that defined marriage as being between a man and a woman unconstitutional.
A new poll from The Associated Press-National Constitution Center shows that Americans are divided over government recognition of marriage equality. The poll found that more than two-thirds of people under 35 favored marriage equality while less than 40 percent of those 35 and older favored it. A majority of respondents also said same-sex couples should be entitled to the same benefits as married, opposite-sex couples.
A small group of demonstrators protested outside the controversial “Love Won Out” conference this weekend in Anchorage, Alaska. The conference, which promises to change the sexual orientation of gays and lesbians through prayer, came under fire last week after it was revealed that Governor Sarah Palin’s church was promoting the event. Demonstrators were made up of members of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays and Truth Wins Out.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is filing a suit against a Maryland school for allegedly firing a teacher because he is HIV positive. Chauncey Stevenson’s contract with the Chesapeake Academy in Arnold, Maryland was not renewed for the 2006 to 2007 school year, despite receiving good evaluations from supervisors. The EEOC says the academy violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, which defines HIV as a disability.
Levi Strauss & Company is teaming up with LGBT-television network Logo for a promotional campaign called “Logo Unbuttoned,” which is scheduled to begin today. Levi’s will also be the sole sponsor of a program block starting in October that will feature series like “The Big Gay Sketch Show,” “Queer as Folk” and “The L Word.” Levi Strauss & Company scored a perfect rating on HRC’s 2009 Corporate Equality Index.
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.