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 Wednesday, February 20th. I’m John Greene.
And I’m Shelena Williams. First up, news from Indiana.
Members of Indiana’s House of Representatives are pressuring the House Speaker to allow a vote on a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages. The amendment has already passed the state Senate, but remains stalled in the House Rules Committee. To amend the constitution, two consecutively elected legislatures must approve the measure, and then voters must pass it in a general election.
GLBT activists in New Jersey are calling for full marriage rights by the end of the year, following the release of a report that shows the state’s year-old civil unions create a second-class status for same-sex couples. Governor Jon Corzine has said he would sign a same-sex marriage bill, but does not want the issue considered before the November presidential election.
A court in Brooklyn, New York has denied New York City Transit’s request to dismiss a suit filed by transgender rider Tracy Bumpus. Bumpus’ lawsuit claims a transit worker called her “bigoted epithets” when she sought assistance for a malfunctioning MetroCard. New York City Transit contends it is immune from liability under the city’s Human Rights Law.
Tucson, Arizona’s City Council is considering expanding a city domestic partnership benefits ordinance that currently applies only to same-sex couples. Two council members have spoken out in support of expanding the ordinance to include heterosexual unmarried couples. The Council will discuss the proposal at today’s council session.
Recent statistics from New York’s National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute and National Latino Coalition for Justice show that Latino same-sex couples have higher adoption rates than other same-sex couples. Male same-sex couples where both partners are Hispanic raise children at more than three times the rate than white male same-sex couples. And female same-sex couples in which both partners are Hispanic raise children at more than twice the rate of white female same-sex couples.
A new study finds that one in three GLBT people would switch auto insurance carriers based on whether or not the company offered domestic partnership benefits. The survey also found GLBT people are twice as likely as straight people to purchase automotive insurance online. The survey was conducted online during a seven day period in January.
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.