Archive for gay rights

ExxonMobil accused of anti-gay hiring bias #LGBT

Boston strong tee shirts

 I snapped this one in a store at Quincy Market

Yesterday in my post PhotOH! On the streets of Boston: An important message for Congress, written in chalk, I shared one of the two most gripping moments I had in the two days I spent in the wonderful, awe-inspiring city of Boston.

Here, as promised, is the second one. We had just stepped outside our hotel when we heard loud shouting by what sounded like a crowd of people. My first instinct was to look around to see if another tragedy was about to occur, but that only lasted a second or two, because the images below are what quickly appeared before my own very eyes.

It was exhilarating. I’d never been this close up and personal to something like this, and I couldn’t stop smiling. The smiles I got in return made the experience that much more rewarding:

Boston gay parade1

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Then today, still floaty and optimistic from sweet memories of that event, I woke up to this bubble bursting news in my morning Los Angeles Times:

Consider two fictitious female job candidates with nearly identical resumes, both vying for an administrative assistant position, one with better grades and a history of volunteering for a gay rights group.

At oil and gas giant ExxonMobil, hiring managers allegedly chased after the less qualified prospect while ignoring the applicant linked to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, according to a charge filed against the company Wednesday.

The complaint from nonprofit LGBT worker advocacy group Freedom to Work and law firm Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, filed in the Illinois Department of Human Rights, accuses Exxon of discrimination based on sexual orientation. [...]

The group alleged that the candidate who volunteered for a feminist college group and earned a 3.9 grade-point average in college received more call-backs than the applicant with a 3.98 GPA and served as treasurer of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund.

Please follow the link for more.

The Warm and Fuzzy GOP

kittens in cups

Another guest post is by our pal and regular TPC contributor, David Garber:

The Warm and Fuzzy GOP

Health care reform is dead.  Let’s face it.  The Republicans are trying to establish a system to ensure that no taxpayer money goes to pay for health care for people here illegally.

“So let’s solve that — just not treat them,” said a distinguished southern gentleman member of the House.  ”Let ‘em die in the streets for all we care.  They’re illegals.  They’re not our responsibility.”  A House member saying that?  House of Horrors is more like it.

The GOP also stripped the bill of equal protection by removing an amendment to allow for same sex couples to be treated as family.  Another Republican House member said, “Good, we don’t need any more disease than we already got.”  Seems health care is a big GOP issue… even if their take on it is bigoted, crude and senseless.

The Senate Judiciary committee bill is recommending creation of a 13-year path to citizenship for the 11 million people already here illegally.  Another elected Republican said they chose 13 to appease the Jews in the House — jokingly equating it to “a Bar Mitzvah for illegals.”  This quotable soul wasn’t Rep. Cantor, but you get two more guesses.  You can start by saying “Way to go, Mr. ‘Boo-hoo my eyes out’ Boehner.

Wow, that’s some open minded group you’re leading there.  Slamming and slurring immigrants and Jews at the same time is your party’s solution to the problem?

What, not enough time to talk it over but you have enough time to vote to repeal the Affordable Health Care Act on 36 occasions?  Priorities, Mr. Speaker. And I don’t mean priority tee times at the golf course.

Gotta love the Republican leadership — warm and sensitive, like iced sand paper.

outreach my ass reach out inclusive

For the past 25 years, David Garber has been serving as the show runner and or writer on some of television’s biggest hits… Saved By The Bell, Power Rangers, 227, Bill Cosby Show and many other network series. His writing and producing have also netted David two very prestigious awards:the PRISM AWARD and the TV CRITICS AWARD – TV SPECIAL OF THE YEAR. Currently he’s authoring a short story series called “A Few Minutes With…”

Another Upchuckable Week: The place where religion meets your rights

separation of church and state 4

Please welcome back guest blogger K.C. Boyd. You might remember her from her earlier posts.

A Monday Morning of Upchucks

Church

Education

  • Gideon’s Upchuck: Dispute over Bible distribution in Tennessee’s Hamilton County public schools. http://bit.ly/ZVQKOI
  • Congressional Jesus Upchuck: House votes to cut $2.5B  in Food Stamps after biblical/Jesus debate. http://bit.ly/11N47DZ
  • Drown ‘Em In the Bathtub Upchuck: Mike Pence puts Common Core, seen as “government propaganda” by Christian crazies, on hold. In Indiana.  http://bit.ly/14hHeF3

Federal Government

  • 1st Amendment Upchuck: “Jesus is calling our country.” Great summary of the National Day of Prayer.  http://bit.ly/106VM7j

Elections

  • Gubernatorial Upchuck: Ken Cuccinelli supports LGBT discrimination, attacks climate science, was called “the most overtly partisan attorney general in Virginia’s history” by WAPO, and . . . thinks Justice Antonin Scalia is too liberal, is running to be governor of Virginia. http://bit.ly/WNuVM0

Military

  • Family-Friendly Upchuck: Family Research Council continues its scare tactics to fundraise on the back of Mikey Weinstein. http://bit.ly/165Dewd
  • Government Paid Missionary Upchuck: Designed to win and train the military for Jesus Christ. http://bit.ly/OOhGdX
  • Spin Me ‘Round Upchuck: 59 Congress members demand Hagel answer to Breitbart.com’s version of black is white. http://bit.ly/19jgRQ7
  • Out of Control Upchuck: The moment Lawrence Wilkerson speaks authoritatively about the dangerous religious situation in the military, Tony Perkins comes out with this vomit. http://bit.ly/18JbJXZ
  • Me Fears MRRF Has Something Upchuck? Tony Perkins’s FRC takes the time to list Mikey Weinstein’s accomplishments, According to Perkins, we are indeed in a holy war. http://bit.ly/10Yo17s
  • Persecution Complex Upchuck: John Fleming (R-LA) calls Mikey Weinstein an anti-Christian extremist on the floor of the U.S. House. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/clip/4451421

Politics

  • Nut-Job Upchuck: Steve Stockman (R-TX) sez “Democrats worship abortion with same fervor the Canaanites worshipped Molech.” http://huff.to/19nJStT
  • Voices In Her Head Upchuck: Campaign posters for mayoral candidate Anna Pierre tout that her bid in North Miami is endorsed by Jesus Christ. http://bit.ly/13vmWcu

States

  • Wrong Again Upchuck: Tennessee sheriff defends Ten Commandments display in jail lobby calling it a   document “that all laws are derived from in this country. http://bit.ly/14g5PdC
  • Try Till it Sticks Upchuck: Ohio House Republicans attach language revision to budget to defund Planned Parenthood. http://bit.ly/15tdvfY
  • Pandering Upchuck: New Jersey’s Chris Christie wants to fund religious education at the college level. http://bit.ly/YwcZtr
  • Christmas Wars Upchuck: Here it is May and the crazies are feeding the troops with early Xmas persecution. http://bit.ly/YFh0vE
  • Coat Hanger Upchuck: Denying poor women safe abortion and effective birth control. http://bit.ly/12jVzPV
  • Texas-Style Family Planning Upchuck: Perry takes away family planning funding and gives the money to crisis pregnancy centers. http://bit.ly/12jVzPV

Novelist K.C. Boyd is the author of Being Christian: A Novel, a steamy, pulp-fiction of a read.According to Mikey Weinstein, President of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, “Boyd created a story so riveting that not only could I not put it down, but upon finishing it, I found myself, like an addict, craving more.

Here’s the link.

Social Progress Can and Is Being Made: Minnesota has Become 12th State to Legalize Same Sex Marriage

minnesota marriage equality gay rights MTM

I love that image! I worked with Mary Tyler Moore on her second TV series and adore her as much as I adore Minnesota for supporting marriage equality. The Advocate gets an A+ for that one.

Note: The original title at BuzzFlash said “will become.” I changed it to “has become,” because Minnesota Gov. Dayton signed the marriage bill:

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Gov. Mark Dayton on Tuesday signed a bill making gay marriage legal in Minnesota, the 12th state to take the step, as thousands of onlookers cheered.

And with that, Your Daily Dose of BuzzFlash at Truthout, via my pal Mark Karlin:

When progressives become pessimistic about the ongoing reign of the ruling elite status quo and corporate governance in DC, it is important to remember that some issues that benefit equality and the common good are moving forward in states and at the local level. When Gov. Mark Dayton (D) signs a state marriage equality bill just passed by the Minnesota Senate, it will become the 12th state to allow same sex marriages.

That is progress by any standard, when just a few years back the thought of major politicians of either party — from any but the deepest blue states supporting this right — was almost non-existent. Now, even the ever-cautious President Obama is backing it. [...]

The momentum toward achieving a progressive goal that seemed as far out of reach as serious gun control just a decade ago – or less – now has the momentum, with the wind at its back. [...]

There is cause for celebration in the advancing legal recognition of single sex marriage in and of itself.  There is also reason to rejoice in and renew a commitment to grassroots organization and education about progressive issues.

Please read the entire post here.

Another Upchuckable Week: The place where religion meets your rights

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Please welcome back guest blogger K.C. Boyd. You might remember her from her earlier posts. We’re only posting part of this one, but you can link over to read the rest here.

Another Upchuckable Week - the place where religion meets your rights – by K. C. Boyd

The Weekly Upchuck

Church:

  • A Day in the Life of the Family Values Gang Upchuck: Ohio youth pastor accused of sex with teen
 in church-owned house. ow.ly/kEGMK
  • Seditious Upchuck: Right wing propaganda machine incites an ignorant public. ow.ly/kIhxK
  • Taliban-like Upchuck: Houston mega-pastor teaches his manly men how to get the most out of their biblically obedient women. ow.ly/kIhD8

Education

  • Taliban-like Upchuckable Redux: Women, we’ll teach you who’s boss. http://bit.ly/147Q34j
  • Dominionism Meets Corporatism Meets ALEC Upchuck: Yikes. This is big . . . this is scary. Read please. http://bit.ly/15wFJaT
  • Education Is Highly Overrated Upchuck: T-Rex Ted (Cruz) Sets His Sites on education. http://bit.ly/16zBcDK

Islamaphobia

  • Klan-like Upchuck: Greeting card turns “Muslim” doll into a “Terrorist.” http://bit.ly/Ytz2mF
  • The Tie That Binds Upchuck: Islamophobia is one of the few things left to unify the GOP. http://bit.ly/11pKRMv

Military

Politics

  • God Luvs Guns Upchuck: Santorum loves him some NRA. http://bit.ly/18iLO9o
  • Jeezus Saves Upchuck: As one of Jesus’ legitimate “Chosen,” Mark Sanford is risen. http://bit.ly/190kmuI
  • Prime(ary)-Time Upchuck: The National Organization for Marriage declares it’s a no-go for Portman in ’16. http://bit.ly/10GB2lR

Same Sex Marriage

  • Sodom Meets Gomorrah Upchuck: Homosexual activists go after the “low hanging fruit,” no pun on their part intended. http://bit.ly/16nPPdE

 States

  • Ten-Gallon Upchuck: BSA Texas Council votes to continue ban on gay members. Rick-the-Perry stands with them. http://bit.ly/10GB2lR

Novelist K.C. Boyd is the author of Being Christian: A Novel, a steamy, pulp-fiction of a read.According to Mikey Weinstein, President of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, “Boyd created a story so riveting that not only could I not put it down, but upon finishing it, I found myself, like an addict, craving more.

More at the link.

Poll-itics: Support for marriage equality solidifies above 50%; UPDATE: MN PASSES MARRIAGE EQUALITY LAW!

gay if choice so what, people choose to be assholes, they marry

Ta-daaa!

gallup marriage equality

Just three years ago, support for gay marriage was 44%. The current 53% level of support is essentially double the 27% in Gallup’s initial measurement on gay marriage, in 1996.

Nearly all U.S. subgroups are more likely to favor gay marriage now than in the past. Politically, Democrats, independents, and liberals all show increasing support for gay marriage over time, with each well above the majority level now.

And as I type this, this wonderful moment is happening, live here: Last Hurdle? Minnesota Senate To Vote On Same-Sex Marriage.

UPDATE:

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The total number of states legally recognizing marriage equality will be is now 12.

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MUST-SEE VIDEO: Student protests commencement speaker Sen. Kelly “no interest in true social justice” Ayotte

student Erin Faith Page protests Kelly Ayotte commencement speaker

I’ve always adored children, teens, and twentysomethings. This video exemplifies exactly why I loved teaching so much, why I admire Erin Faith Page more than I can put into words, and why I do not admire the “honored keynote speaker” Sen. Kelly Ayotte in the least, nor the way she personifies the hypocrisy of that Very Serious Outreach Effort (scroll) by the GOP:

Below is a link to the petition we have made… sign it, share it, and stand with me for equality on every level. Contact me if you would like more information or would like to get involved in any way!

https://www.change.org/petitions/kell…

“Bringing someone who is racist, homophobic, transphobic, misogynistic, or openly discriminatory goes against everything that we are taught here at NEC.”

“I will not keep quiet on such an important and personal issue.”

“There are times when I didn’t want to wake up.”

“I hated school. Not because I was dumb, but because I had never been surrounded by a community that believed in me.”

“May 18th will be the second most important day in my life… I get to look into the crowd knowing that in this moment, I am stronger than I ever thought possible.”

“I am confident because I finally believe in myself.”

“Because of my experiences at New England College, I was in absolute shock when the news of Senator Kelly Ayotte being our keynote speaker and recipient of an honorary degree was released. I cannot believe that they would choose someone who was the exact opposite of what I believe our school exemplifies.”

“Why would we align our name with someone who has no interest in true social justice? Senator Kelly Ayotte is an avid anti-gay marriage, anti-same-sex adoption, and anti-choice senator… She has worked hard to create a state where myself and others are not seen through the same lens, and are not worthy of equal treatment under our laws.”

“…I’ve learned how to tell people like her… that they are wrong.”

“This protest is not about Republicans or Democrats. This is about standing up for human rights.”

“I want every person on this planet to know that they are worth something. I want the suicides of our LGBT youth to end. I want sexism to be a story of the past, and I want us all to be equal under our law.”

Via Miscellany: Blue:

Erin Faith Page, a 24-year-old self-identified lesbian, will be the student commencement speaker next week at New England College. She made this video to protest the selection of Sen. Kelly Ayotte to give the keynote address at the graduation ceremony.

student Erin Faith Page protests Kelly Ayotte commencement speaker2

take sides