Equality in the News for July 11-17, 2009

So what's happened since last Friday?

In the home state …

Q-Notes releases the second half of their piece “Timeless Pride,” a summary of major LGBT activism and milestones in North Carolina since 1971.

WITN reports that the Pitt County resolution against same-sex marriage appears dead after a county commissioners meeting this week, which was accompanied by a small protest against the resolution. Q-Notes has more background on this protest as well.

Should Perdue’s appointment of Republican judge Eric Levinson cause concern within the LGBT community? Q-Notes has the scoop.

Mitchell Gold, CEO of the Taylorsville, N.C.-based Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams furniture company and a friend of Equality NC, chose to attend the DNC’s 10th Annual LGBT Leadership Council Dinner, held on June 25 in Washington, despite the call for a boycott due to what some see as the party’s weak follow-through on LGBT issues. But Q-Notes reports that Mitchell Gold saw the dinner as an opportunity.

The Blue Ridge Now argues for the practicality of the new policies implemented by the Healthy Youth Act.

In the nation …

The Matthew Shepard Act passes the senate – but as an amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill, not a stand-alone bill. That puts it at risk of a veto due to the bill's funding of the problematic F-22 jet program. The Advocate has the story.

Although it’s a bit out of date, this piece from the San Francisco Chronicle debunks some misconceptions and misleading testimony about the Act from the senate floor.

Un resúmen del Matthew Shepard Act, y la historia de Shepard mismo, en español

President Obama acknowledges the struggles of "our gay brothers and sisters" in his speech to the NAACP. Yay!

About 250 people showed up outside the Florida offices of WFLA this past Wednesday to protest the airing of anti-LGBT American Family Association documentary Speechless: Silencing the Christians, which was also aired in Charlotte, NC.

South Carolina Pride 2009 received a 12,000 dollar tax grant from Richland County government this year. Established 20 years ago, it is now a major tourist attraction, bringing in approximately 7000-8000 attendees last year.

Out in the World …

“The number of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered ( LGBT ) representatives in the national legislatures of 18 countries around the world has tripled since 1998.” reports a study performed by UNC-Chapel Hill professor of Politcal Science Andrew Reynolds, Ph.D. See more of his findings here.

That’s all for this week!