Not Exactly the Job-Creation Legislation We Voted For

Last year’s midterm elections ushered in a new wave of North Carolina leadership on the promise of job creation in a state facing severe deficits and double-digit unemployment. Unfortunately, we’re not exactly getting the job-creation legislation we voted for.

Take for example the priorities of North Carolina Senator Jim Forrester who, at the beginning of the year, promised to forego an eighth attempt at a "Super DOMA" in the Tar Heel State in order to focus on more pressing economic issues. "It will probably be brought up next year," Forrester told the Gaston Gazette on January 19, 2011.

Fast-forward four weeks later, and Forrester went back on his word. While even his own hometown newspaper acknowledged that “there are more pressing issues to attend to,” the Gaston County Republican sponsored Senate Bill 106, a proposed constitutional amendment limiting marriage to opposite sex couples, as state statute already does, as well as outlawing civil unions or domestic partnerships. The N.C. House followed this month with its own narrower version (House Bill 777), that represents the same divisive, discriminatory and distracting legislation which would effectively write discrimination into our state's founding document.

The anti-LGBT amendment joins a host of other social legislation that prompted Taylor Batten, The Charlotte Observer's editorial page editor, to manifest what many were already thinking in his recent article "Lawyers, guns and money, but no jobs."

In it, Batten writes,

"...almost three months into the session, jobs have been the primary focus of very little legislation. What has your legislature, led by House Speaker Thom Tillis and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, been doing instead?

Fighting to repeal federal health care reform.

Working to expand gun-owner rights.

Making emergency room doctors almost completely immune from any penalties for practicing sloppy medicine.

Trying to decline $461 million in federal money for high-speed rail that would instead go to another state.

Requiring photo identifications from voters.

Overturning already-completed annexations.

Contemplating a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

Working to bar the state from giving any money to Planned Parenthood.

Aggressively expanding charter schools.

And one out-of-touch freshman even introduced a bill creating a new currency based on the gold standard, in case the Federal Reserve defaults.

You may agree or disagree with some or all of those initiatives. Either way, they have next to nothing to do with creating jobs or balancing the state budget.

And those, sadly, were the two imperatives that deserved attention above all else."

But with your help, we can push our politicians to keep their promises as we also push for equal rights for all North Carolinians.

• Contact Your Legislators.
  We’ve made it easy for you to let state legislators know, that we, the people of North Carolina, are more interested in them keeping their focus on creating jobs, and not furthering hateful discrimination.
  
  
• "Write" the wrongs of this harmful legislation. Help us send a message to the legislature by volunteering to get people in your community to complete postcards to their legislators in opposition to the anti-gay amendment. We'll make it easy by sending you a kit with everything you need.
  

• Build a State of Equality.
  Join our statewide movement against this type of LGBT discrimination with a donation to Equality North Carolina today.
  

• Help Others Stay Connected to the Action.
  Recruit friends and family to join the Equality North Carolina Action Network so they too can receive important local alerts and updates on legislative affairs affecting them.
  

• Join Us on Facebook and Twitter.
  To quickly and easily share news and information with friends, fans and followers (like your rights depend on it…and they do), join Equality North Carolina where you already are—on Facebook (facebook.com/equalitync) and Twitter (@equalitync).

-Jen Jones, Equality NC

Protecting Marriage From ... Southern Conservative Christians!

In light of the proposed antigay marriage amendment, here's some interesting news on a true threat to this institution.

From The Daily Texan: According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the average divorce rate in the United States is 47.9 percent. A recent study conducted by University of Iowa sociology professor Jennifer Glass found that conservative Christians, especially those in the South, are among the groups most likely to divorce.

Presenting her findings at the University of Texas at Austin Glass said, “Politically and religiously conservative states, especially in the Deep South, exhibit higher divorce rates than politically and religiously liberal states in the Northeast and Midwest.”

Glass identified a number of factors contributing to this statistical reality. She suggested that the prohibition of sex before marriage among Christians leads to marriage at an earlier age, and compared that to lower divorce rates among residents in more liberal and less religious areas who are more likely to live together for extended periods of time.

Glass also noted that teachings against abortion and birth control lead to “shotgun weddings,” which accelerate young conservative Protestants into adulthood and early marriages. She compared those teen marriages to the average age of marriage for American women, which is 27.



The study also noted that young married conservatives in southern states have higher divorce rates because of financial concerns and problems relating to lower degrees of education and increased unemployment.

Despite these findings, Equality NC remains committed to the ideal that all citizens in North Carolina deserve access to the same rights (even conservative Christians, though are focus is on the marginalized and commonly discriminated against LGBT community). To help us work to stop the current attempt to make LGBT North Carolinians into second-class citizens, click here.

NOM News Roundup

Kudos again to the great grassroots folks who organized yesterday's counter-protest of the so-called National Organization for Marriage's rally yesterday. Equality NC and other participants worked hard to get our message of fairness out to the media with some great results. Here's a quick roundup.

• Time Warner's News 14 covered the rally and included an interview with me in the story.
• WRAL, the local CBS affiliate, has a story including Senate President Pro-Tempore Marc Basnight explaining why the constitution shouldn't be used to make law.
• Josh Ellis covered the story for the NC News Network, and included a blurb on their site and some good video on YouTube.
• It was great chatting with friend of ENC Pam Spaulding, who has great analysis and video up at the Blend. She also did a quick post earlier in the day.
• The Raleigh News & Observer was also on the scene with this report.
• North Carolina Public Radio had coverage after the rally, and reporter Laura Leslie has more audio from NOM's speakers on her blog.
• I talked with the Associated Press's Gary Robertson about the potential impact of the elections this fall on the marriage discrimination amendment. Video from NBC 17 is include on the same page.
• WTVD, the ABC affiliate, ran this story.
• And, of course, the Courage Campaign's brilliant NOM Tour Tracker was on hand to document the event. There's more in this post as well.

That's what we've found. Any more stories we missed? Post 'em in the comments.

Post-Valentine's: Whoopi for Marriage Equality, Just The Facts, Binational Couples

This year, Freedom to Marry Week wrapped up on Valentine's weekend.

Ironically, this weekend thousands of couples chose to tie the knot by entering into civil marriage, but of course, here in North Carolina, none of them were gay.

Many gay couples did indeed celebrate their love, but they weren't able to take part in any of the more than 1,000 rights given by civil marriage.

Still, the marriage equality movement is advancing. A couple of decades ago, it was unthinkable that gay couples would get married, and now we have five states (with D.C. pending) that treat LGBT couples like all other citizens.

Here are three things to note with regard to couple equality:

1)
The conversation around marriage equality is first and foremost about real families, real couples, and real children, who need and deserve the security, clarity, and respect that comes with marriage.

In honor of black history month, the Freedom To Marry Coalition has produced a high-profile list of 10 African-Americans Who Support the Freedom to Marry. You'll recognize the names, and you'll be impressed.

2)

Marriage Equality: Facts and Resources

(Crossposted from Gideon Alper's fantastic Gay Couples Law Blog on 1/18/10.)

Statistics and facts for same-sex marriage can be hard to find. Marriage equality is in the news a lot, but a lot of people just want unbiased information before deciding how they feel about it.

Here's what you need to know:

Support

Latest statistics:

• 41% support marriage equality for gay couples
  
• 49% oppose it
• 10% say it depends/are unsure

Historical trend of increasing support:

• Public support for marriage equality has increased about 1% annually over the last two decades.
• Statisticians predict a majority of Americans will support marriage equality by 2012.

Marriage Laws

Places Where Gay Couples Can Legally Get Married:

• Massachusetts (2004)
• Connecticut (2008)
• Iowa (2009)
• Vermont (2009)
• New Hampshire (2010)
• Washington, D.C. (Coming in March 2010)

Places Where Gay Couples Married In Other Places Are Recognized:

• New York
• California (but only if you got married before Proposition 8 passed)

Demographics

The most recent census did not count marriages gay couples directly, so the following are estimates based on how people reported their household. It counts households with 2 members of the same sex that are unrelated.

• Total Number of Gay Couples: 594,391
• Number of People in a Couple: 1.2 Million
• State With the Most Couples: California (92,138)
• State With the Least Couples: North Dakota (703)
• Highest Concentration of Gay Couple (% of all couples): Washington, D.C. (1.29%)
• Lowest Concentration of Gay Couples (% of all couples): North and South Dakota (.22%)

Gay people make up 1-4% of the population in most cities, but are more concentrated [PDF] in metropolitan areas.

Highest Number of Same-Sex Couples:

1. New York, NY: 47,000
2. Los Angeles, CA: 12,000
3. Chicago, IL: 10,000

Highest Concentration of Gay People:

1. San Francisco, CA: 15.4%
2. Seattle, WA: 12.9%
3. Atlanta, GA: 12.8%

Lowest Concentration of Gay People:

1. Detroit, MI: 1.5%
2. Richmond, VA: 3.4%
3. Cleveland, OH and Memphis, TN: 3.5%

Resources

State by State Map of Gay Marriage Laws. The Wall Street Journal compiled information from the Human Rights Campaign, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and other sources, to compile a user-friendly interactive map.

Text of State Constitutional Amendments Targeting Same-Sex Marriage. If you're one of those people who wants to read the laws themselves to see how exactly gay marriage is outlawed, check out this collection put together by Lambda Legal.

Year 2000 Census Information on Same Sex Households. Expect these numbers to increase in 2010 more than other types of families. The 2010 census will be the first to let gay couples report as married.

3)
Immigration Equality premiered a new video on Valentine's Day at the Huffington Post.

This video highlights the plight of binational same-sex couples who cannot get married. In a straight couple, the US partner can sponsor the other for residency. LGBT couples do not have that option, which means the non-US partner can be targeted for discrimination and kicked out of the country.

There are 36,000 lesbian and gay binational families in the United States, and half of those are also raising young children.

According to Rachel B. Tiven, Immigration Equality's executive director, "For every day that passes without action from Congress, another family faces separation and another child is put in jeopardy of losing a parent."

The Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name, i.e., LGBT love, has come a long way, but there's still some distance to travel. Eventually it'll be The Love Where LGBT Couples Get The Same Rights As Straight Couples, then the Love Whose Children's Get The Same Legal Protections.

Finally, ultimately, it'll all just be Love. And that's what Valentine's Day - and Freedom To Marry Week - is all about.

Ten Years: Working With You For Change

By Ian Palmquist

Ten years ago today, something happened that changed my life in ways I couldn't have imagined then: I started my first day of work at Equality NC.

I'd graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill that May and had been looking for a way to get into LGBT movement work. I was sure that was going to mean leaving North Carolina and heading off to New York, DC, or maybe San Francisco.

Happily, Equality NC's then-Executive Director, MK Cullen, asked me to come on staff. I have to admit, I was pretty nervous about it. It was the first time Equality NC was hiring a permanent second staff person. Plus, I was leaving my $11 per hour full-time job at UNC Student Stores for an $8 per hour half-time job.

My parents thought I was crazy. But I knew that chances to do paid movement work right here in my home state were few and far between, and leaped at the chance.

I've never regretted it.

At lunch today, a former intern of ours asked me what my favorite thing about working for Equality NC was. I thought a minute, and realized that the answer was clear.

The thing that his given me the most joy these ten years has been the chance to work with amazing leaders across the state and the nation who are fighting to make all of our lives better:

• Incredible volunteers who work tirelessly to win local policy victories or collect hundreds of postcards to legisaltors in conservative areas;
• Dedicated board members who work to realize a vision of what Equality NC could become;
• Amazing coalition partners who time and again stand up to insist that the LGBT community be included and protected;
• Hard-working colleagues at other Equality Federation organizations who have made me a better leader, and our movement more effective; and
  
• Talented co-workers and interns who pour their heart and soul into
  improving the lives of LGBT people in our state.

MK, and her successor Jo Wyrick, taught me so much about politics, grassroots organizing, and running a non-profit as I became the Assistant Director. Ed Farthing stuck with me as Co-Executive Director through some tough financial times and encouraged me to keep fighting because the work we were doing was so important.

Now Kay Flaminio, Shawn Long, and Rebecca Mann make coming to work as Executive Director these last three years something to look forward to, and have made our recent successes possible.

Ten years is a long time, and sometimes people ask my why I've stayed at Equality NC. I've been recruited a couple times to work for national organizations, but when I thought about it I realized that I could have the greatest impact working right here with you.

I truly believe that the most important work we can do to win full equality nationwide is to fight the fight in the states. The federal work is unquestionably important, too. But no amount of lobbying in DC will make a difference if our community isn't on the ground in local communities building public support for equal rights, passing local and state policies, and creating a climate for change.

That's why I'm so proud to work with Equality NC. Thanks to the amazing hard work of everyone that makes up this organization, we have achieved things no one thought were possible.

Here in our proudly Southern state, no bill that would diminish the rights of our community has passed since 1996, while our neighbors have seen attacks on our families enshrined into their state constituions.

Instead, we've increased protections for same-sex couples by ensuring basic hospital visitation rights. We've made life safer for our young people by making sure schools address bullying and harrassment. We've protected the lives and health of people by securing comprehensive sex education in public schools, increased funding for HIV prevention programs, and expanded access to HIV/AIDS drugs for low-income North Carolinians.

Most importantly, we've made our voices heard and laid a foundation that will, in time, allow us to build a state of equality.

I'm so proud of what we've done together. But I'm even more excited about what we can achieve going forward.

Thanks for being a part of my journey this past decade. I'm counting on you to stick with us as we keep moving forward together.

Support For - and Against - Marriage Equality

While Durham's city resolution last month to support marriage equality was a breath of fresh air, one of NC's local anti-equality groups reminds us that this is the exception rather than the rule.

Here's an excerpt from the discriminatory NC4Marriage website, which seeks to deny equal rights for LGBT North Carolinians by amending the state constitution:

==========
County Commissioners in the following counties have passed Resolutions calling for the General Assembly to approve legislation submitting a proposal to the qualified voters of the State for adoption of an Amendment to the North Carolina Constitution stating: "Marriage between a man and a woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or enforceable in this State."

• Alexander
  
• Ashe
  
• Avery
  
• Craven
• Dare *new as of 4-6-09
  
• Davidson
  
• Davie *new as of 4-06-09
• Gaston
  
• Graham
  
• Madison
  
• Moore
  
• Pasquotank
  
• Rowan
  
• Transylvania
• Union *new as of 4-06-09

The following towns have passed the Resolution:

• Town of Cedar Point

==========

Admittedly, we don't need much reminding that we're fighting an uphill battle against prejudice - we all experience antigay bigotry every day of our lives.

Still, it's important to realize the reality of the situation, and the reality is that things are changing for the better.

Earlier this year, Elon University released a poll that included data on support for marriage equality and support for a discriminatory constitutional amendment (starting on page 10 of the report). Almost half of the respondents supported extending rights for same-sex couples (though only a quarter supported full marriage equality) and just over half opposed altering the constitution. Clearly, a majority of the public believes in America's promise of equality.

We have a ways to go, sure, and it's good to be aware of the distance to the peak, but it's also important to see how far we've come, and celebrate our current climbing success.

(And of course, we always encourage you to support Equality NC's efforts to achieve equality for LGBT North Carolinians!)

Equality in the News August 29th-September 4th

By Equality NC Intern Jennifer

Before reporting on this week’s headlines, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Jennifer and I will be picking up where Harmony left off. (I have big shoes to fill)! I’m interning (remotely) as a Communication’s intern out of Greenville.

In the State….

Marriage Discrimination Amendment in North Carolina

The News & Observer ran a nasty column opposing marriage equality and calling for passage of a marriage discrimination constitutional amendment. We've got to keep up our efforts to stop this amendment when it comes up again in next year's legislative session!

Chapel Hill to host Gay Travel Event

Q-Notes reports that Chapel Hill, N.C. has become one of the most gay-friendly municipalities across the state of North Carolina. On September 24-27^th Chapel Hill will host a “familiarization tour and symposium” for the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association . This event will attract travel trade professionals which will include media and tour planners. Events include cooking school at the kitchens of restaurant “A Southern Season” a private reception at an Antebellum Home, a back porch Musical concert and historic tours and chats with LGBT elected officials and others. For more information on this upcoming event click here: http://www.q-notes.com/3489/chapel-hill-to-host-gay-travel-event/

MeckPAC releases Primary Choices

Q-Notes reports that on Thursday August 27^th The Mecklenburg Gay and Lesbian Political Action Committee (MeckPAC) held its pre-election party at the Morehead Inn and endorsed seven candidates for the Charlotte City Council. This will make the first time MeckPAC endorsed two candidates in the same race as City Council District 1 primary will pit incumbent Patsy Kinsey and openly gay Owen Sutkowski against each other. Charlotte and Mecklenburg County voters head to the polls for their primary election on September 15, while other N.C. municipalities hold primary elections on Oct 6^th. A general election will be held November 3^rd.

Two Carolina Gay Pubs Merge

Q-Notes reports that the publisher of three LGBT-focused publications in the Carolinas is happy to report that his company is growing even in a time of economic uncertainty. Stereotypd’s Lin Orndorf, Proscha Yount and QnQ Network’s Jamie Seabolt announced on August 24^th that they plan to merge their companies. Currently Stereotypd is a monthly publication with a print circulation of 8,000 copies while QnQ Carolina Edition has a bi-weekly print circulation of 5,000 copies.

In the Nation…

N.Y. Governor Paterson Recommits Himself to Same-Sex Marriage

The Advocate reports that New York Governor Paterson recommits himself to including same-sex marriage on the agenda. Paterson quotes “After the loss of Proposition 8 in California, I’ve sensed a little confusion and maybe stunned reaction from a lot of the advocates…legalizing same-sex marriage in New York could help reignite the momentum started in the Northeastern states earlier this year.”

New Judge for Supreme Court?

The New York Time reports that there has been speculation that Justice John Paul Stevens (90) is preparing to leave the supreme court. Justice John Paul Stevens has been one of the most reliable friends of gays and lesbians. He is most noted for cases such as 2003’s Lawrence v. Texas (where he stated the decriminalization of gay sex should have happened years before the 2003 case), Romer v. Evans (preventing municipalities from enacting antidiscrimination protections of LGBT people).

Reno, N.V. approves domestic Partner Benefits

The Gay and Lesbian Times reports that The Reno City council adopted a resolution that will extent health care benefits to domestic partner (whether gay or straight), who register with the Nevada secretary of state under a new state law. Council members agree the decision is an issue of “fairness”. Other entities offering similar benefits to employees’ domestic partners are the Washoe County School District and the cities of Las Vegas and Henderson.

N.J. Catholic Bishops Campaign Against Same-Sex Marriage

The Gay and Lesbian Times in association with the Associated Press report that N.J. Roman Catholic bishops have begun a new campaign opposing marriage equality. The push comes from anticipation of a possible vote on the issue after the November election. A 2,300-word letter was distributed in parish bulletins last Sunday stating the long-standing Catholic teaching that marriage is “the union of one man and one woman”. Currently New Jersey already recognizes civil unions for same-sex couples.

Referendum in Washington over Gay Partnerships

The Associated Press reports that a referendum on an expansion of Washington’s domestic partnership law for gay couples has qualified for the November ballot. This decision was finalized Monday. Supporters of the expansion asked King County Superior Court judge to temporarily block the referendum from the ballot because of election officials accepting thousands of invalid petition signatures. If the referendum leads to a rejection of the law’s expansion legislation approved in 2007 and 2008 would be retained, but it would roll back the additional rights granted in the “everything but marriage bill” To read more about this story click here:

In The World

Moscow court Lesbian Marriage Causes Drama

The News & Observer reports that on Wednesday a case seeking to allow a lesbian couple to marry in Russia sparked debate inside a Moscow courtroom. In protest to the holdup in proceedings the two women locked lips outside of the courtroom. Homosexuality has been decriminalized in Russia, but there is little support for gay rights.

Embassies support Budapest Pride

The Gay & Lesbian Times reports that thirteen embassies in Hungary issued a statement August 28 in support of Budapest’s 14^th gay Pride events. Starting with a parade September 5^th, the weeklong festivities include music, parties, an “antifascist demonstration,” workshops, an open-mic night, a picnic and a wreath-laying ceremony at the grave of Karoly Kertbeny who “invented the term homosexuality,” according to Pride organizers. Last year right-wing extremists attacked the parade’s 1,500 marches and fought with police afterward.

Uruguay OK’s Gay Adoption:

The Gay & Lesbian Times reports that on August 27^th Uruguay’s Chamber of Deputies voted 40-13 to let same-sex couples adopt children. The Roman Catholic Church has fought against the measure, suggesting it violates natural law and human rights.

U.K. Foreign Office to Fund Foreign Gay-Rights Cases

The Gay & Lesbian Times reports that the United Kingdom’s Foreign office will help pay for legal challenges to gay rights in repressive nations such as Jamaica, Nigeria, Egypt, Iraq and Iran. Gay Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Chris Bryant stated that British missions will also focus on gay legal issues in Ghana, Colombia, Uzbekistan and other nations.

That’s all for this week! I look forward to updating everyone on LGBT news throughout this semester!

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!

Equality in the News: May 9 - 15, 2009

It seems like every week now, we have another state to congratulate on marriage equality. This week, it's New Hampshire, who is thisclose to passing the bill. The governor requests more clear religious freedom protections in the legislation, and then he'll sign it into law. Seems reasonable enough to calm the fears of those on the fence. 6 states now (or within the coming weeks will) have full marriage equality!

On the home front, our state has been buzzing about the success of the School Violence Prevention Act's success in the Senate. To keep you up-to-date: Both the SVPA and Healthy Youth Act met the crossover deadline for bills, and they are one step closer to heading to the Governor's desk. So, keep those calls and e-mails to your Representatives and Senators coming! Here's this week's roundup:

• Raleigh's News & Observer was full of SVPA tidbits over the week, with an excellent column in support of the legislation, as well as a strong editorial supporting the bill. Doesn't stop there - there were also two great letters to the editor: one discussing how wrong it is to exclude LGBTs and one showing some religious compassion.
• Blue NC also features an article about some alarming statistics on bullying. Definitely worth checking out.
  
• Speaking of bullying, The Independent Weekly, a progressive news source out of the Triangle wrote about the School Violence Prevention Act's success and features some good quotes from Ian and mentions a lot of our great allies with this legislation. Check it out!
• Star News Online out of Wilmington has the story of the Frank Harr Foundation's honoring Sen. Julia Boseman for her outstanding efforts with the SVPA. Congratulations to one of our strongest advocates for equality!
• That Marriage Discrimination Amendment is still lurking around the NC State Legislature, and the wonderful folks at BlueNC have a great blog about it, specifically mentioning Advocates for Youth, yet another group who is opposed to this discriminatory legislation. You can also check out WRAL's report from "crossover day," and why Republicans are disappointed (hint: it's near the end of this article.)
  
• Further proof that the far-right isn't letting this bill die without a fight: A rally was held last week in Grifton, NC in support of "traditional marriage." ENC Today (not to be confused with us) has the sad story. The rally's sponsors are a new grassroots group called... wait for it... We Luv Marriage. I'm guessing "We Love Marriage" was already taken?
  
• Carrboro's community newspaper, the Carboro Citizen has an outstanding article on the benefits of the Healthy Youth Act, written by Paige Johnson - a wonderful ally of ours.
• Q-Notes has the story about how hopefully we're one step closer to justice in this tragedy, as the Fayetteville police arrested a suspect in the murder of drag performer Jimmy McCollough.
  
• The Moderate Voice has an interesting article on the new documentary film "Outrage" that's been getting a lot of buzz. (It seeks to out closeted politicians with strong anti-gay voting records - pretty controversial.) It features some quotes from our board member, Dan Gurley.

That's all for now! Stay tuned for next week's roundup, and enjoy your weekend!

PS - We want to say a quick congratulations to all of our supporters who are graduating from college! Having your support while you're dealing with all the stress of college means the world to us, and we wish you only the best in your future endeavors.

Gimme Five! Marriage Equality in the USA Turns Five

Happy fifth birthday, or perhaps more accurately, anniversary! This week marks the fifth year of marriage equality in Massachusetts.

Back in May 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage, giving equal rights to committed gay couples (well, at the state level at least).

Since then we've had Connecticut do the same last year, and Iowa, Vermont, and Maine this year. New Hampshire has marriage equality legislation pending in front of the governor.

New Jersey and New Hampshire currently have state-level civil unions, and there are broad domestic partnership laws in California, Oregon, and DC. New York now recognizes out-of-state same-sex marriages and is working on its own law to bring fairness to civil marriage.

The most significant note, however, is how the strident opposition to civil equality - in Massachusetts - has dramatically faded. Nowadays, same-sex marriage is basically looked at for what it is: fair treatment for a committed couple. (Obviously this issue is not nearly settled in other states!)

Compared to other developed nations, America is still sadly lagging behind in treating LGBT citizens equally, but the momentum for fairness and equality is undeniable.

Here at Equality NC, we've been proud to have helped defeat a marriage discrimination amendment to the state constitution for six years running (and we couldn't have done it without you - thank you!). North Carolina is the only state in the South to have done so, making us a bastion of hope down here.

And with the current trend among other states, one can easily imagine what it'll be like when marriage equality does occur here in a few years. It's inevitable, and more importantly, it's now believable.

Wow, what a difference five years makes!

Equality in the News: April 19 - 24, 2009

Wes here with this week's news roundup. Nationally, things have been very exciting with justice for transgender hate crime victim Angie Zapata, Connecticut makes same-sex marriage official, and the federal hate crimes bill passing a major hurdle all this week! Plus our colleagues in Iowa, Maine and New York launched great videos to support their marriage equality campaigns. And now, the rumblings around our neck of the woods...

• Our friend Sarah Preston of the ACLU has a great post up over at NC Policy Watch about the need to pass the Healthy Youth Act and the School Violence Prevention act.
  
• The Raleigh News & Observer's Under the Dome blog has an interesting article on a bill concerned with gender neutrality in state laws. What are the implications of this with marriage? Find out here.
• CNN has a moving account of Jaheem Herrera's mother speaking out after bullying drove him to suicide. Will the NC legislature act to address bullying before a child dies in our state?
  
• Commissioners in Hoke County unanimously passed a resolution in support of the Marriage Discrimination Amendment this week. The Fayetteville Observer has the story.
• You probably heard that one of our very own, Kristen Dalton, is now Miss USA, but more than likely, you heard more about Miss California's ...interesting response to Perez Hilton's question on her views of same-sex marriage. We're going to avoid the whole judgment mess that's going on with those two right now, but you might be proud to hear what Kristen Dalton thinks about same-sex unions.
• Another Letter to the Editor mentioning our radical homosexual agenda, this time out of Spring Hope, NC in the Spring Hope Enterprise. You can read that here. If you're from the area, perhaps you could write a letter of your own that refutes the myths that pervade that letter!
  
• Q-Notes has an article about Ted Haggard coming to town on Sunday, April 26. If that's your sort of thing, you can check that out here.

That about does it for this week. If you happen to find an interesting article regarding Equality's work here in North Carolina, feel free to send me a tip. Stay cool this weekend! See you next Friday!

Equality in the News: April 4 - April 9, 2009

Another exciting week for equality! Vermont overrides the veto, Washington D.C. recognizes same-sex marriages now, and strides in transgender equality are being made in New Hampshire and Washington state. Plus plenty going on right here in the Tar Heel State. I've conveniently gathered all the Equality-related news for you again this week, so let's get to it!

• Turns out Samantha Korb, who graciously shared her bullying story with us, is also an excellent writer. You can read her article for The Carolinian (UNCG's Student Newspaper) on the School Violence Prevention Act here.
• Very tragic news out of Massachusetts this week, as it was revealed that an 11-year old boy, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, committed suicide. His mother claims it was due to the torment of his classmates - which included anti-gay harassment. First this, now this?! It shouldn't take examples like these to get legislation like the School Violence Prevention Act passed. All kids deserve to feel safe in school. If you haven't yet, please e-mail us your story to help us raise awareness about the bullying that occurs in our state.
• Jack McKinney, a pastor of the Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh, has an article supporting the School Violence Prevention Act in the News & Observer. You can read that article here. Be sure to check out the comments and share your thoughts - there's a good one about the bill secretly trying to codify sexual orientation and normalize homosexuality. If only we were that good at lying.
  
• The Durham News featured one of our favorites, Pam Spaulding, in an article written by her about the Day of Action. It's a great article that discusses the strange dynamics felt that day between our African-American supporters and members of the legislature's Black Caucus. You can stop by here to check it out.
• For the polling geeks out there: a really nifty model was crafted by FiveThirtyEight, a political polling website with lots of really cool information and polls. This model uses recent marriage discrimination amendment votes and polling to predict when a majority in each state will have majority opposition to these amendments. Take a look and see when they predict North Carolina will jump on the bandwagon.
• Speaking of marriage, 3 more counties passed resolutions in support of the Marriage Discrimination Amendment. Q-Notes has the story here.
• The Healthy Youth Act, legislation to give parents the option between comprehensive and abstinence-only sex-education, sailed through committee again and goes to the House next week. We're supportive of this LGBT-inclusive legislation, and we'd love for you to call your Representative and remind them to vote for this effective policy. To find your elected official, click here.

That about does it for this week. We'll see you back here next Friday for another exciting news roundup! Equality NC wishes everyone a safe and wonderful holiday weekend. Enjoy yourselves!

Day of Action Empowered a New Advocate

Guest blog by Bill Britt.

On March 25^th, I had the privilege to attend ENC’s Day of Action. So many times we become angered over issues we care about, yet instead of doing anything, we bury our heads in the sand and never allow ourselves to be heard. On this day I made the decision to be heard on two issues important to me: passing the school violence prevention act and opposing the marriage discrimination constitutional amendment.

My story is different from the majority of gay men, and the reasons these issues are important come from my unique perspective. I am a divorced father of two beautiful children who wants to see protection from bullying provided for all kids: To include those who are gay, targeted as being gay, or to those whose parents are gay.

I also oppose marriage discrimination. After being in a heterosexual marriage for more than eleven years, I know the legal and personal rights afforded to a married couple. However, now that I am being true to myself and rebuilding a new life with my male partner, it is disturbing to realize we have none of those same rights and protections I enjoyed with my female partner. We have none of the same rights because we are of the same gender.

ENC’s Day of Action gave me the courage and the platform to remove my head from the sand. Meetings with my legislators allowed a great learning experience filling me with a variety of emotions, some of joy, some of hope, and some of great disappointment.

The joy and hope came with learning that even though certain legislators do not agree with, or understand one being gay, they do not and would not discriminate on the basis of sexuality. My disappointment arose from those legislators who have clearly chosen to govern based on personal opinions, misunderstandings, misinterpretations and insecurities.

It was empowering to use my voice and encouraging to see the unconditional love and support provided in so many forms. The most meaningful forms being parents in support of their gay children and by members of the clergy in support of all.

My voice united with so many more. Some of our words fell upon deaf ears, but we made it personal. We put our faces with our issues. We made it human and we made it real.

ENC in the News: March 28 - April 3, 2009

Slow news week on the state front, even though exciting things are happening in Vermont and Iowa! Here's the roundup for this week:

• The Washington Blade, while covering national marriage equality news, mentioned the Marriage Discrimination Amendment and it's status, including a quote from our Executive Director, Ian Palmquist. Scroll down a bit on this page to read more.
• Speaking of marriage, as I'm sure many of you have heard that Iowa's Supreme Court voted unanimously to allow same-sex marriage. To a few, it's the end of modern civilization. To us, it's just an example of liberty and justice prevailing for all. To read a summary of the court's decision (including the court's compelling counterpoints to common opposition arguments), the Towleroad blog has that here.
• The Independent Weekly out of the Triangle area mentioned the School Violence Prevention Act and the insulting counter-bill introduced by Rep. Paul Stam (which leaves out the enumerated categories). Though the article was written on April 1st, unfortunately Paul Stam's homophobic response to the SVPA is not a prank.
• Our friends at Q Notes wrote about the Day of Action, which you can read here.
• The Healthy Youth Act, which was voted out of committee yesterday, was featured in an article about "misleading bill titles," in the Charlotte Observer. Apparently, they don't see how protecting kids from disease and unintended pregnancy promotes health? You can read that article (and offer your two cents) here.
• Don't forget next Tuesday, April 7, is HIV/AIDS Advocacy Day at the State Legislature. For more information, or to register, click here.
  
• This weekend is the Unity Conference at UNC-Chapel Hill, and if you're interested in some of the events, you can find more information here.
  

That about does it for this week's roundup. We'll be keeping our eyes and ears peeled for any new developments with our current legislation for next week. If you have friends of family in Vermont, please urge them to call Governor Douglass at 800-649-6825 and urge him not to veto their marriage equality bill.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Welcome to Boone, indeed!

Guest blog by Kathy Staley

A week ago, I watched as Boone’s Town Council voted unanimously on three separate pro-LGBT resolutions: to add sexual orientation and gender identity to its personnel policy, to oppose the proposed referendum on a constitutional amendment limiting marriage, and to support the proposed bill to expand hate crime law to cover sexual orientation and gender identity.

LGBTQA supporters of the resolutions had filled the chambers. So many showed up that town mayor Loretta Clawson commented on the unusually high attendance. When each vote was cast without a single objection, the audience erupted in applause.

To have a unanimous vote was expected. Boone is such a progressive town and the council members that I’d spoken to were in complete agreement and believed that there would be community support. But seeing the vote for myself was so reaffirming, so elating, there aren’t words for how wonderful it was.

All it took was a couple of phone calls to one council member Liz Aycock for this to be acted on. She has long been an LGBT ally and only needed a single request for the expansion of the Equal Employment Opportunity statement to follow through on it.

It makes me wonder if we could have done this a few years ago and how many other towns would follow suit if residents contact the right council members. Hopefully, other North Carolina towns and cities will follow Boone’s example and add gender identity to their statements.

Equality in the News: March 21 - 27, 2009

Wow! What an exciting week we've had here at Equality NC. Tuesday was our very successful Day of Action, which drew a record crowd, and on Wednesday, Sen. Albertson introduced this year's Employment Non-Discrimination Act (which includes sexual orientation and gender identity). Your local media round-up is below:

Employment Non-Discrimination:

• Under the Dome had a post about our Non-Discrimination in State Employment bill.
  
• A new study by the UCLA Williams Institute found that gays & lesbians are more likely to live in poverty than their heterosexual counterparts. This further exemplifies the need for an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Pam Spaulding covered the story on her blog.

School Violence Prevention Act:

• New Bern's Sun Journal featured an article focusing on the personal effects of bullying and the School Violence Prevention Act. The article also has some wise words from Ian Palmquist, which you can check out right here.
• Keep checking the Bullying Blog for regular updates on stories, or share yours by e-mailing them to Wes.
  

Day of Action:

• News 14's great coverage of the Day of Action, featuring Kate Mabe, can be streamed on their website.
• Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend wrote an enlightening blog about her experience with the Day of Action, specifically discussing how her meetings with members of the NC Legislature's Black Caucus here. We (via Pam) even got a shout-out on the LGBT-centric Towleroad blog!
  

Marriage Discrimination Amendment:

• News 14 also covered the Elon University Poll, showing a majority of opposition for a constitutional amendment here.
• For any polling geeks out there, Under the Dome couldn't get enough of that Elon poll, with posts on wording, the consistency of answers to three questions, the Family Policy Council's reaction, the change since a previous (differently worded) Elon poll, how it compares to the conservative Civitas poll and national polling, and how this poll undermines a "whereas" in the bill. All that lead up to this little item in the News & Observer.
  
• Durham's City Council debated a pro-marriage resolution to be submitted to the General Assembly in support of marriage equality. Pam, as usual, is in the know and shares that information here.
• ENC Board Member Addison Ore wrote a touching op-ed advocating for marriage equality in Greensboro's News & Record, and we highly suggest you check it out here.
• Durham's not the only one to show their support - Boone's City Council continues their support of LGBT rights with a unanimous vote to oppose the Marriage Discrimination Amendment, and Appalachian State's student newspaper covered that excellent decision here.
• Eyewitness News 9 out of Eastern NC focused on the Marriage Discrimination Amendment in a recent two-part sement, unfortunately titled Redefining Marriage. Her's part one and part two.
  
• You may be seeing a lot of these pop up in your local news papers. If you came to the Day of Action, you received a great information sheet on some great Marriage Discrimination Amendment talking points, and they might help you to craft your own letters to the editor to combat NC4Marriage's efforts to politicize and manipulate our simple request for equal treatment under the law. Soon, we'll try to have that information online so that everyone can benefit from it.

That about does it for this week. Again, we can't thank enough the more than 250 supporters who came out for the Day of Action and over 400 virtual attendees who contacted their legislators through our online Action Network. You truly made a difference, and don't forget to keep in touch and build on those relationships you were able to begin. Enjoy your weekend and we'll see you next week! :)

Equality in the News: March 14 - March 20, 2009.

Unfortunately, not every week holds such excitement and media coverage as the previous weeks have shown. This week had a few follow-up stories on the School Violence Prevention Act and various LGBT-related issues that directly affect us here in North Carolina. We look forward to seeing you all at the Day of Action on Tuesday - and if you haven't registered - please do so now! And now, the news:

• Public Policy Polling released their findings on support for the School Violence Prevention Act, and it's no surprise that North Carolinians, across party lines, overwhelmingly support the passage of this bill. You can look at their detailed findings here
• The NC Policy Watch blog, the Progressive Pulse, featured an article on the public's support of the SVPA written by our very own Ian Palmquist. It's a great article (and we're not just saying that cause we have to!) and you should check it out!
• The Daily Herald of Roanoke Valley and Lake Gaston did a profile of Angela Bryant, and she gives her support for the School Violence Prevention Act and the Healthy Youth Act here.
• Thanks to Pam at Pam's House Blend for sharing the results of GLSEN's national youth survey on transgendered students. The study reveals disturbing realities for transgendered youth in schools - yet another reason for passing the SVPA. You can read more those findings here.
• Another great LGBT blog out of Wilmington, Be Yr Own Queero, wrote a great blog on the Marriage Discrimination Amendment which you can read here.
• And in some very exciting worldwide news, President Obama announced his decision to sign the UN's declaration on decriminalizing homosexuality. You can read about that here. Well done, Mr. President! Now let's get that Crime Against Nature law off the books in NC!
  

Enjoy your weekend, and hopefully we'll be seeing you Tuesday!

Equality in the News: March 6 - March 13, 2009

With this week's introduction of the School Violence Prevention Act (House Bill 548, Senate Bill 526), there was a good bit of coverage in the media, so let's get right to it:

School Violence Prevention Act

• Triangle folks can see what Raleigh's local newspaper, the News & Observer had to say about the press conference here.
• WRAL's site featured an impassioned editorial in support of the bill.
• The Rocky Mount Telegram featured an excellent article with lots of quotes (including one from NC PTA President Debra Horton, who says the bill will "ensure that all children in North Carolina have a safe and supportive environment where they can realize their full potential"). That article can be read here.
• The Fayetteville Observer gives an interesting take on the bill's introduction, with a "if gays get protected from bullying, it's a slippery slope to other gays trying to get their gay rights"-style quote from Family Policy Council President Bill Brooks. Glad the article included quotes from 16 year-old Kate Mabe's impassioned plea for the bill.
• The folks at Blue NC wrote a great article that includes some great quotes from the Presser, and you can find that here.
• Pam's House Blend featured Mabe's full testimonial and video of her speech (which can also be found with other bullying stories on the newly launched Prevent School Violence North Carolina's Bullying Blog).
• A basic AP story also ran all over the place, including WRAL, WBTV, the Greenville Daily Reflector, the Rocky Mount Telegram, the Greensboro News & Record, WCNC, WBT, WXII, the Shelby Star, and WFMY. Another blurb appeared in the Asheville Citizen Times.
  

Healthy Youth Act

• This bill, which Equality NC is supporting along with many other NC organizations, seeks to offer a choice between comprehensive and abstinence-only sex-ed. It's approval by the House Education Committee got lots of coverage around the state, including articles in the Charlotte Observer, the Asheville Citizen Times, and others.
  
• An excellent editorial in the Charlotte Observer makes the case for this important bill.
• The Wilmington Star-News also supports the bill based on the success of a similar program in New Hanover County.
  
• In addition to blogging extensively about the School Violence Prevention Act and constantly putting the word out about our Day of Action, Pam mentioned the good news which you can find at the end of that entry.

Other News

• Q-Notes is keeping the Marriage Discrimination Amendment issue fresh by posting an article about it's introduction last week with some great quotes from our very own Ian Palmquist.

That about sums up the news from this week. Much of the news being reported about the SVPA is a recycled AP News story that doesn't feature many quotes - so make sure you become a reporter yourself by asking friends, neighbors, and co-workers if they've heard about it and try to garner some support.

In the meantime, check out the Prevent School Violence NC Bullying Blog which will be updated frequently with a new bullying story from students, parents and educators from around the state.

Enjoy your weekend!