Official News Outlet for the Rainbow Round Table of the American Library Association
By John Mack Freeman Tennessee State House Representative Rick Womick recently proposed that the state should stop issuing marriage licenses so that it would not have to issue licenses to same-sex couples as the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell. Via Advocate.com: “The state Constitution says that marriage is between one man and one woman, and my personal belief is […]
By John Mack Freeman The New York City Commission On Human Rights released a new report from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration that outlines the way the city will interpret a 2002 law that protects the rights of trans people. First off, it has officially banned willful misuse of gender pronouns as part of a […]
By John Mack Freeman In 2014, Estonia became the first former Soviet republic to approve same-sex partnerships. However, despite those partnerships becoming legal this week, many are recommending that same-sex couples avoid getting hitched right away. Despite the long run-up to the law, issues like inheritance, divorce, and other common practical matters still haven’t been sorted […]
By John Mack Freeman Lawmakers in India have rejected a bill that would have decriminalized consensual same-sex activity in that country. Members of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliaments, voted 71-24 against the measure. The move does not come as a surprise as the conservative Bharatiya Janata Party controls that house of Parliament. Via […]
By John Mack Freeman The Malawi government has decided this week that they will not prosecute people under that country’s anti-gay laws. Via LGBTQ Nation: Earlier this month, two men were detained by a neighborhood watch team, who turned them over to police, according to Human Rights Watch and the Centre for the Development of […]
By John Mack Freeman An anti-trans initiative has failed to gather the required signatures to make the ballot in California. Via Towleroad: Had it been approved by California voters, the “Personal Privacy Protection Act” would have required trans people to use public restrooms according to their biological sex unless a doctor confirmed they had undergone gender reassignment surgery. In response to […]
By John Mack Freeman U.S. District Court Judge Dean Pregerson ruled in Layana White and Haley Videckis v. Pepperdine University “that sexual orientation discrimination is not a category distinct from sex or gender discrimination.” The two students have sued the school saying that they were mistreated by their basketball coach at the Christian university because they were […]
By John Mack Freeman There were mixed results for referendums in the last week that sought to expand same-sex union rights to European countries. In Greece, the parliament voted 193 to 56 in favor of granting civil union rights to same-sex couples. This measure was strenuously opposed by the Orthodox Church. Via Advocate.com: Greece is […]
By John Mack Freeman A Massachusetts court has ruled that a Catholic school discriminated against a gay man when they rescinded an offer of employment because they discovered he was married to a man. Superior Court Associate Justice Douglas H. Wilkins ruled that Fontbonne Academy violated that commonwealth’s anti-discrimination laws. This is believed to be one of […]
By Charlie McNabb The Professional Tools page has a new resource available: an LGBTQ Legal Resource Guide. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people navigate a complicated and quickly-changing legal milieu. Legal rights and laws vary by geographic location, and certain legal procedures are unique to this population. This guide provides resources for LGBTQ […]