“The irony of gay marriage becoming legal in the United States is that it has made discrimination against LBGT people easier. For example: Many newlywed couples may be asking their employers for spousal benefits for the first time. Depending on where they live, it may or may not be illegal for that employer to respond by firing them—something that happened in a number of states in 2015. Some state legislatures have tentatively taken on this issue; Pennsylvania and Idaho, for example, both saw bills introduced in 2015. But in many places, these efforts are complicated by a tangled political question: Should these laws make exceptions for religious individuals and organizations that object to employing and providing services to gay people?”
“This question could produce some of the biggest political fights of 2016. Gay-rights advocates are planning to push hard for discrimination protections, while religious-liberty groups continue to raise concerns about protecting people’s freedom of conscience. Meanwhile, state-level legislators are caught in the middle, no longer able to avoid a contentious set of issues many would rather have ignored.”
“Six of the Republican candidates vying for the presidency have signed a pledge promising to support legislation during their first 100 days in the White House that would use the guise of “religious liberty” to give individuals and businesses the right to openly discriminate against LGBT people.”
“Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, Rick Santorum, and Mike Huckabee vowed to push for the passage of the First Amendment Defense Act (FADA), legislation that would prohibit the federal government from stopping discrimination by people or businesses that believe “marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman” or that ‘sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage.’”
“But instead of protecting “gay marriage dissenters,” FADA gives people and businesses license to openly discriminate against same sex couples. If it were to pass, it would mean that government workers could refuse to perform their duties, and businesses and organizations — including those that operate with the support of taxpayer dollars — would be free to discriminate. The American Civil Liberties Union has called it ‘a Pandora’s Box of taxpayer-funded discrimination against same-sex couples and their children.’”
“After decades of discrimination, Obamacare is helping more members of the LGBT community gain access to health insurance, advocates say.”
“Earlier this month, federal officials announced partnerships with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups and organizations, during what they called LGBT Week of Action, to promote insurance enrollment under the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare.”
“Researchers say this population is disproportionately uninsured and underinsured and has had worse physical and mental health outcomes compared with heterosexuals. Many have not had access to preventive and routine care, ranging from mammograms to colonoscopies. Transgender individuals are even more likely to be poor and uninsured compared with their lesbian, gay and bisexual counterparts.”
“Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore issued an administrative order Wednesdaythat effectively banned same-sex marriages in the state, less than seven months after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage bans violated the Constitution.”
“Central to Moore’s reasoning is the assertion that Obergefell only applied to the four states in that case, namely Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. To that end, he cited rulings in other courts that noted this theoretically limited application.”
“Despite his reputation for resistance, Moore’s order only delays the inevitable. Even if the full Alabama Supreme Court upholds the state’s same-sex marriage bans in its upcoming ruling, Justice Anthony Kennedy and his four colleagues from the Obergefell majority could—and almost certainly would—overrule them and bring Alabama into constitutional harmony with the rest of the Union.”
“Two federal prosecutors in Alabama say that Alabama probate judges are not free to disobey the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage and deny gay couples marriage licenses, despite an order from Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore.”
“‘We have grave concerns about this order, which directs Alabama probate judges to disobey the ruling of the Supreme Court,’ [U.S. Attorneys Joyce White Vance of the Northern District of Alabama and Kenyen Brown of the Southern District of Alabama] stated. ‘Government officials are free to disagree with the law, but not to disobey it. This issue has been decided by the highest court in the land and Alabama must follow that law.'”
“Two law professors agreed that the U.S. Supreme Court was clear that its same-sex marriage ruling applied nationwide and probate judges who go against it could find themselves facing lawsuits.”
“Federal agents launched a series of raids around the country this past weekend that target undocumented immigrants, including children, who recently arrived from Central America, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson disclosed Monday.”
“The raids focus primarily on immigrants in Georgia, Texas and North Carolina. Authorities have netted 121 people who are in the process of being deported to their home countries, Johnson said. They are part of a wave of Central Americans who rushed to the USA in the past few years to escape a spike in violence sparked by drug cartels.”
“‘The administration is doubling down on a system that is rigged against these families,’ said Cecillia Wang, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project. ‘Many of these mothers and children had no lawyers because they could not afford them. Without counsel, traumatized refugees don’t understand what is happening in court and cannot get their legitimate asylum claim heard.'”
“Last spring, when conservative lawmakers in Indiana and Arkansas were pushing through “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” (RFRA) legislation intended to legalize anti-LGBT discrimination, a similar bill was under consideration in Georgia. It didn’t pass, but it didn’t die, and it’s now set to return along with another pro-discrimination bill.”
“SB 129, introduced by Sen. Josh McKoon (R), would prohibit the government from burdening an individual’s religious beliefs similar to the federal RFRA that was expanded by the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision. This protection would be used to circumvent local laws across the state that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity; for example, a wedding vendor who refuses to serve a same-sex couple could claim that doing so burdens her religious liberty.”
“In 2016, SB 129 will not be alone. Sen. Greg Kirk (R), a former Southern Baptist pastor, is planning to introduce a companion bill similarly intended to enable discrimination. He has not filed it nor made its text publicly available, but he claims it would mirror the First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) introduced in Congress.”
“An Indiana lawmaker has proposed a bill that would make it a crime for transgender people to use public bathrooms and locker rooms that do not conform to their gender at birth, threatening to draw Indiana further into a national debate over transgender rights.”
“‘We’ve walked through a doorway we’ll never go back through. And we’re going to have to address some concerns that are now facing us,’ bill sponsor, Republican state Sen. Jim Tomes said Thursday. ‘If you were born a man, then you are obliged to use the males’ restroom.'”
“Tomes’ bill would send someone to jail for up to a year and fine them as much as $5,000 if they were convicted of entering a bathroom that does not match up with their birth gender. Exceptions are made for janitors, first aid providers and parents accompanying children under the age of 8. The measure would also require public schools, including charters, to ensure students do the same, though students would not face criminal penalties.”
“A first-of-its-kind private school in Georgia aimed at attracting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth and teachers is being established in Atlanta for students who feel bullied or not accepted in traditional schools.”
“Pride School Atlanta is a K-12 institution designed to be an alternative for LGBT students, though the school is open to any student who believes they’re not getting the support they need for “being different,” says Pride School founder Christian Zsilavetz.”
“’Kids have full permission to be themselves — as well as educators. Where there’s no wondering, ‘Is this teacher going to be a person for me to be myself with?’” said Zsilavetz, who is transgender and a veteran teacher with nearly 25 years of experience. ‘This is a place where they (students) can just open up and be the best person they can be.’”
“Pride School will initially operate out of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta church and is expected to open by September 2016. Tuition will be around $13,000, though Zsilavetz says financial assistance is available for students who need it.”
“On Wednesday, Jan. 6, Rev. Dr. William Barber outlined a joint campaign launched by the North Carolina chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Democracy NC to empower voters through supporting access to voting and providing education on key issues.”
“Barber, Moral Monday leader and head of the state NAACP, said a coalition of over 3,000 faith- and membership-based communities will implement the issues-based campaign to empower, educate and protect voters.”
“Barber stressed the importance of the issues the election will impact. In addition to state and local offices, Barber said, ‘Health care is on the ballot. Public education is on the ballot. Living wages are on the ballot. Black Lives Matter is on the ballot. If you care about that issue, remember that sheriffs, judges and district attorneys are elected. Chiefs of police are appointed by elected officials. You can’t even sit on a jury unless you are registered to vote.'”
“Two South Carolina lawmakers from the Upstate have filed a bill to ban same-sex marriage in the state and protect government officials who do not wish to officiate or recognize same-sex unions.””House Bill 4513, dubbed “South Carolina Natural Marriage Defense Act” aims to amend the state’s 1976 marriage code by adding language to ‘defend natural marriage as between one man and one woman, to invalidate court decisions to the contrary, to require the South Carolina attorney general to defend state officials in lawsuits related to the state’s definition of marriage, to prohibit enforcement of court decisions contrary to South Carolina’s laws, and to protect government officials from arrest or other penalties for noncompliance with unlawful court orders.'”
“In late October, Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin explained why his group was spending an unprecedented $600,000 to uphold an ordinance in Houston that banned discrimination. It was critical, he said, for the largest LGBT organization in the country to represent the interests of its 1.5 million members and supporters.”
“After marriage equality was won at the Supreme Court, HRC placed a priority on passing a nondiscrimination law in Congress. To build momentum, they endeavored to pass nondiscrimination legislation in cities and states along the way. Griffin said that when “building momentum across the country, every victory you have is a building block.” So defending Houston’s law was essential.”
“’This is a big one, it’s an important one, it’s an expensive one,’ he said. ‘But it’s a battle we have got to win.’”
“Six days later, however, voters repealed the law by a 22-percentage point chasm — despite the fact that Griffin and his allies were six and nine points ahead in two early polls. Houston Unites, the name of the central campaign, had raised about $4 million in total, outspending their opponents three to one.”
“What happened?”
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