TOP STORIES
JANUARY 21, 2015
NATIONAL
By Adam Polaski, Freedom for All Americans
This is a looming danger for full LGBT equality
By Jonathan Capehart, The Washington Post
LGBT Seniors Shouldn’t Die Penniless and Alone
By Bruce Williams, The Advocate
“As a society, we have made great strides in LGBT awareness and rights that today’s LGBT seniors never expected to see in their lifetimes. Yet for myself, and for so many other LGBT seniors, change has come too late. After an exhilarating period of celebration, we settle back and wonder how our lives would have been different had the changes come during our younger years. We know one cannot reclaim missed experiences nor amass fortunes never earned. We now need to focus our efforts toward securing equality in health care, housing, and employment so that no old people have to go to bed at night hoping to die in their sleep.”
STATE
At Least 11 Alabama Counties Refuse to Comply With Marriage Equality
By Neal Broverman, The Advocate
“Eleven counties in Alabama have shut down all their marriage license offices so they can avoid issuing licenses to same-sex couples, reports LGBT advocacy group Campaign for Southern Equality. Officials in four additional counties — Coosa, Chambers, Crenshaw, and Lamar — have refused to tell the group if they are issuing licenses to same-sex couples.”
“‘Campaign for Southern Equality has repeatedly called Probate Court offices in each of these counties to ask a simple question: do you issue marriage licenses to gay couples,’ the organization said in a statement. ‘But answers have been elusive, as staff say they are unable to answer the question and cannot say when an answer will be available.'”
“Alabama has had a year to get comfortable with the idea of marriage equality — U.S. District Court Judge Callie Granade ruled January 23, 2015, that the state’s refusal to recognize same-sex marriages was unconstitutional. Six months later, the Supreme Court struck down all bans on marriage equality in the nation.”
Georgia lawmakers throwing anti-gay tantrum
By Matt Hennie, Project Q
“On just the third day of the new legislative session, Republican lawmakers launched an all-out assault on gay Georgians – first by having an anti-gay pastor condemn them and then by introducing bills to undermine marriage equality.”
“Ahead of the session, LGBT activists prepped for renewed opposition to an anti-gay ‘religious freedom’ proposal from state Sen. Josh McKoon. But by Wednesday afternoon, it was clear that anti-gay Republicans – facing voters this year – and their religious supporters are seeking retribution for the U.S. Supreme Court’s legalization of gay marriage last June.”
“The legislative day in the state Senate opened with a blistering devotional from Rev. Yoon Young Chung, senior pastor at Atlanta Grace of God Church in Suwanee, who called homosexuality ‘an abomination.'”
Bullock signs non-discrimination order aimed at state agencies, contracting
By Troy Carter, The Bozeman Daily Chronicle (Montana)
“Montana Gov. Steve Bullock signed an executive order Monday that expanded equal opportunity laws to protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in state government agency hiring and contracting.”
“’Despite the fact that Montana is a place that welcomes all people and recognizes the value of diversity, and despite that Montana’s Constitution affirms basic human rights … Montana still has no statewide protections that comprehensively prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identification, gender expression, pregnancy, child birth or medical condition relating there to, genetics, or military service and veterans’ status,’ the governor said in his short speech.”
LOCAL
Petition opposing county’s one-man, one-woman marriage resolution gains speed
By Gary B. Gray, Johnson City Press (Tennessee)
“Johnson City resident and East Tennessee State University graduate student Kathryn Kreyenbuhl-Gardner has collected nearly 800 signatures on an online petition for those opposing a coming Washington County Commission resolution to support traditional marriage.”
“The resolution, initiated by Commissioner Forrest Boreing will be voted on by commissioners Jan. 25. It calls on commissioners to support the “historical institution” of marriage and asks state legislators to fight to maintain the Tennessee Constitution’s definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman.”
READ OF THE WEEK
Inequality In NC Is Worse Than We Thought
By Jennifer Ferris, Women AdvaNCe
“A recent report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that these disparities are even more stark than previously thought. Only five counties in North Carolina have incomes above the state average. Statistically speaking, that’s significant — that means workers in 5% of the state make so much more than the other 95% that they skew the average.”
“The lack of Medicaid expansion means rural hospitals are closing. In some areas families have to drive 90 minutes to get to a primary care physician or trauma center. Women in these areas are statistically unhealthy. They have high rates of obesity, diabetes, and adverse maternal outcomes. Infants in these areas have mortality rates that rival those of third world countries.”
