Equality Matters Picks Of The Week, May 30-June 3, 2011
June 03, 2011 6:59 pm ET by Equality Matters staff
Equality Matters staff offers our picks for the most interesting, outrageous, or thought provoking stories of the week:
- White House Launches LGBT-Specific Website: In order to commemorate LGBT Pride Month, the White House launched a website specifically catered to the LGBT community. As Zack Ford noted, the website is focused almost entirely on the administration’s past LGBT accomplishments without much reference to future goals. The White House also issued a proclamation recognizing June as LGBT Pride Month.
- Documenting The FRC’s History Of Anti-LGBT Hate: Gay activist Dave Evans put together an excellent video compilation documenting the Family Research Council’s long history of anti-LGBT hate speech and activism. The question now is: why do major networks keep inviting the group to debate LGBT issues on air?
- Pentagon Confirms First DADT Discharge Since Repeal Bill Was Signed: The Pentagon has confirmed that, on April 29, a gay service member was discharged under the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. It appears that the service member openly admitted that he was gay and asked to have his “separation action be expeditiously processed.”
- Fox Freaks Out Over Sesame Street’s Supposed “Assault” On America’s “Moral Foundation”: During the June 1 edition of Fox News’ Hannity, a panel of right-wing commentators expressed their outrage over Sesame Street’s lessons about respecting gender diversity.
- Illinois Began Offering Civil Unions This Week: On Wednesday, Illinois began offering civil unions to loving and committed gay and lesbian couples. Unfortunately, what should have been a day of celebration was quite the opposite for the nearly 350 foster children who were abandoned by the Rockford Diocese of the Catholic Church after it refused to comply by the state’s new non-discrimination laws.
- NOM Dedicates Twenty Percent Of Its Blog To Non-Marriage Issues: The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) dedicated roughly twenty percent of its blog entries in May to anti-LGBT issues that were unrelated to the debate over marriage equality. It’s painfully clear that NOM is interested in more than just denying gay and lesbians the right to be married.
- Growing Majority Of New Yorkers Support Marriage Equality: A new poll conducted by Quinnipiac found that 58 percent of New Yorkers support marriage equality. The poll is a sign of growing momentum just a few weeks before the state legislature’s June 20th adjournment.
