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 Monday, March 17th. I’m David Paul.
And I’m Shelena Williams. First up, an update on the status of the U.S.’s HIV travel ban.
The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has voted to approve a provision to repeal the U.S.'s travel and immigration ban on HIV positive individuals. The provision is part of the bill to reauthorize President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS relief. The bill now heads for a vote by the full Senate.
The annual HRC Los Angeles Gala Dinner was held in LA Saturday night. Anne Hathaway, star of "Brokeback Mountain" and The Devil Wears Prada, received the Ally For Equality Award for her outspoken support of the GLBT community. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, one of just four U.S. senators who support marriage equality, delivered the dinner’s keynote address.
In Canada, legal experts are demanding the Canadian Refugee Board to establish clearer guidelines for refugees seeking asylum for their sexual orientation. Authorities often request evidence that an asylum seeker is GLBT, but there is little consistency of analysis. Refugees with no documents indicating sexual orientation, such as photos from a gay pride parade, often resort to acting out GLBT stereotypes before the refugee board in an attempt to "prove" they are gay.
The Vermont Supreme Court has upheld the visitation rights of a lesbian woman to the child she had with her former partner, Lisa Miller-Jenkins. The couple split in 2003, three years after they had obtained a civil union in Vermont. Miller-Jenkins plans to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Maryland’s Senate passed a preliminary bill that would allow same-sex couples to have the same rights as spouses to make medical decisions. Activists consider this a small victory as Maryland’s legislature remains divided on GLBT civil rights. Both a same-sex marriage bill and a civil unions bill have also been proposed this session, but are not expected to pass before the legislature adjourns next month.
Oklahoma House Speaker Chris Benge has stated Representative Sally Kern will not be punished for the anti-GLBT comments she made earlier this month. After the negative comments were posted on YouTube, thousands of people contacted the Speaker’s office, demanding Kern apologize and receive some sort of disciplinary action. Kern has said she will not apologize.
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.