Official News Outlet for the Rainbow Round Table of the American Library Association
By John Mack Freeman The ACLU has sued the Giles County, Tennessee school board for a dress code policy that bans any clothing that supports GLBT issues, including rainbow clothing. The issue was initially raised when Richland High School student Rebecca Young wore a shirt that said “Some People Are Gay, Get Over It: on […]
By John Mack Freeman The legislature in the Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus have voted to approve civil unions between same-sex partners. While joint adoption rights were not included in the measure, this is seen as a positive step forward in a culturally conservative country where the Orthodox Church (Greek) has significant sway. Many believe this move […]
By John Mack Freeman Wasilla, Alaska’s city officials heard public comment on Monday, November 25th regarding a complaint that the Wasilla Public Library had James Dawson’s This Book Is Gay included in their juvenile nonfiction section. The complaint was brought forward after an area resident found her son reading the book. Via Alaska Public Media: This Book […]
By John Mack Freeman The Mount Horeb Area School District in Wisconsin has banned readings from I Am Jazz after they were threatened with a lawsuit by the Liberty Counsel. Via PinkNews: The Mount Horeb Area School District had sent a letter to parents of students at the school announcing its plans to read the […]
By Elizabeth Gartley November is Picture Book Month, an international literacy initiative which celebrates print picture books, and picture books are worth celebrating. Picture books are a powerful medium, and they are often the first form of literature that young children enjoy. Even as a middle school librarian who works with young teens, I keep […]
By John Mack Freeman US Air Force General Gordon O. Tanner and Congressional Cemetery President Paul Williams unveiled a new grave marker for GLBT rights pioneer Frank Kameny this Veterans Day. Via Washington Blade: The Kameny headstone along with a footstone bearing the slogan, “Gay is Good,” which Kameny coined in 1968, have been placed at […]
By John Mack Freeman This week, the White House formally endorsed the Equality Act. Via Out: “The administration strongly supports the Equality Act,” said Press Secretary Josh Earnest at today’s afternoon White House press briefing. The Equality Act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal laws to protect LGBT Americans from discrimination […]
By John Mack Freeman The Department of Veterans Affairs opened its first health center specifically dedicated to transgender veterans and service members. The clinic opened in Cleveland this week, and received its first visitors on November 11th. There are approximately 134,000 trans veterans in the United States. Via Huffington Post: Housed within the Louis Stokes Cleveland […]
By John Mack Freeman Late last week, Ukraine passed a law that banned discrimination in the workplace for GLBT people. Via PinkNews: It specifically says workplace discrimination on the basis of “race, colour, political, religious and other beliefs, sex gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic, social and foreign origin, age, health, disability or suspected presence of […]
By John Mack Freeman A judge in Utah has reversed his order that removed a foster child from a same-sex couple that had been caring for the child. Initially, Judge Scott N. Johansen of Utah’s Juvenile Court this past Tuesday that removed the child from the couple’s home because he stated “it is not in the […]