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, March 4th. I’m Shelena Williams.
And I’m David Paul. First up, the latest on the presidential primaries.
Both parties in Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont will hold their presidential primaries today. Ohio and Texas are considered key states in the Democratic race, and could decide the nominee. For the latest on HRC’s election activities, visit the Backstory blog at http://www.hrcbackstory.org.
A same-sex Kentucky couple has been blocked from adopting after originally being accepted by Sunrise Children’s Services. The faith-based agency is one of more than 50 private agencies contracted by the state to place foster and adoptive children. While Kentucky law does not prohibit unmarried couples, including same-sex couples, from adopting, private agencies are allowed to set their own policies.
Southern Utah University is exploring ways to accommodate transgender students after a prospective student claimed being denied university housing for being transgender. School officials are talking to administrators at other schools to see what their policies are like. Possible changes include gender-neutral restrooms and rewriting the language used in university forms.
An elementary school employee in Wisconsin has filed a discrimination grievance after the school district refused her two days’ paid leave for her upcoming marriage to another woman. The women, who are to be married in Canada, argue that the employment contract does not require a marriage be legally recognized in Wisconsin. A hearing has already taken place, and a decision is expected by the end of the week.
A new poll finds that while 62 percent of Iowans believe marriage should only be between a man and a woman, nearly six in 10 Iowans are in favor of civil unions for same-sex couples. Iowans are split nearly fifty-fifty on whether the Iowa constitution should be amended to ban same-sex marriage. The poll was conducted in late February and questioned 801 adults.
Researchers have concluded new HIV infections in Victoria, Australia could climb 74 percent over the next seven years. This is due to rising rates of unprotected sex. Unprotected sex has fueled a resurgence in the spread of HIV in the U.S., U.K. and other developed nations during the past ten years.
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.