Equality in the News September 5th-11th

Thanks again to our intern Jennifer for rounding up this week's news!

Happy Friday Everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your Labor Day festivities, along with the shortened work week…well for some of us. Here are this week’s news briefs:

In The State

Wilmington Activists Rally for Hate Crimes Legislation

On Thursday afternoon, LGBT rights advocates convened in front of the New Hanover County Courthouse to raise awareness of the need for broader hate crimes legislation. Read all about it and watch the WWAY News Channel video here.

Dispatches from the Carolinas on the National Equality March

Movement leaders from North and South Carolina, including our own Ian Palmquist, weigh in on the National Equality March in this week's Q-Notes.

In The Nation

The SC Pride Movement Marks 20 Years

This weekend marks two decades of Pride organizing in the state of South Carolina! An estimated 6,000 community members were in attendance at last year's event, and this year's Pride will be sponsored by both the City of Columbia and Richland County, among others. More on that from Q-Notes.

Six LGBT Americans Headed to the DNC

Six openly LGBT Democrats plan to join the 447-member Democratic National Committee as at-large members. The nominees are: Terry Bean (Portland, Oregon), Earl Fowlkes (Washington, D.C.), Evan Low (Campbell, Calif), Lupe Valdex (Dallas, Texas), Barbra Casbar Siperstein (New Jersey), and Randi Weingarten (New York). See the whole story, as announced by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund.

Impact of Health Care Debate on LGBT-Focused Bills

What does the future look like for proposed LGBT legislation at the federal level, and how will the health care debate impact it? Southern Voice tackles these and other questions, and includes a handy sidebar (courtesy of the Washington Blade) listing federal bills with direct ties to LGBT rights.

In the World

Apology Issued to Touring...57 Years Late

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued an apology to Alan Turing, 55 years after Turing took his own life and 57 years after he was convicted of "gross indecency" for having a relationship with a man. Turing was a mathematician who, during WWII, used his skills to crack German codes. More from the BBC News.

That’s it for today, I hope you all the wonderful Fall weather this weekend!