Equality in the News: Feb. 20 - Feb. 27, 2009

We picked an exciting week to start blogging about local media coverage. With the introduction of the Marriage Discrimination Amendment (have you taken action yet?), the HRC Gala dinner last Saturday and TransAction! Day, the state has been atwitter. Here's what they're saying about...

The Marriage Discrimination Amendment

• First things first - if you missed the anti-LGBT press conference on Tuesday, WRAL still has it available for viewing on their website.
• Of course, our friends at Q-Notes were well aware of the amendment's introduction and you can read their article here.
• The Charlotte Observer covered it as well, and included an alarming quote from Gaston County Sen. Jim Forrester: "Moms and Dads are not interchangeable."
• Gaston County's not all bad, of course, and their coverage featured a quote from our very own Ian Palmquist. In fact, it's a similar quote that was featured in the Burlington Times News' coverage.
• We can't forget about our friends in Western, NC - and they were all over it as well, with this article from the Asheville Citizen Times.
• News 14's coverage featured an interesting quote from Ana McKay, who attended the press conference in support of her gay son's rights.
• Greensboro's News & Record opted to go a little more in depth about the timing of this bill's filing, and their blog had more to say.
• We can always count on Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend to be on top of things, and be a supportive voice for our community and work, and she didn't let us down with her coverage.
  
• Ruth Sheehan of the Raleigh News & Observer has a bit to say to the Bishops who attended the press conference.

Gay Ordinations for Presbyterians

• On a more positive religious note, the Raleigh News & Observer let us know about the recent vote to allow gays and lesbians in partnered relationships to be ordained as ministers.

TransAction! Day

• An initiative of GLSEN, you can read more about this day and what's being said about it over at Pam's blog.

Human Rights Campaign's Gala in Charlotte

• Kay Hagan, our newly elected Senator, spoke at the Gala and the Charlotte Observer consulted us for our thoughts. You can read that article here.

Phew! That about covers it for us this week. There will surely be a lot of hubbub next week too, when Marriage Discrimination Amendment supporters will gather to rally in Raleigh on March 3rd. Try not to think about that, though, and enjoy your weekend!