Guess What? You Can No Longer Be Fired For Being Gay Anywhere In America.

After last month’s historic move to nationally recognize same-sex marriages, the next battlegrounds for gay rights in America are housing and employment protections.

Now it seems a major step has been taken on the latter, potentially putting to rest for good the ability to fire an employee based on his or her sexual orientation. That’s huge!

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, created to enforce and implement the 1964 Civil Rights Act, ruled this week that workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation is illegal.

The ruling states that employers who discriminate against LGBT workers are violating Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employment discrimination “based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.”

It’s a new interpretation of the law with wide-reaching potential.

In the past, courts have ruled that Title VII doesn’t apply to sexual orientation because it isn’t explicitly mentioned, but the new interpretation accounts for LGBT discrimination under the umbrella of sex discrimination.

“Sexual orientation discrimination is sex discrimination because it necessarily entails treating an employee less favorably because of the employee’s sex,” the EEOC concluded.

It’s similar to how racial discrimination extends to relationships. Just as a man can’t be fired for dating a woman of a different race, the same man can’t be fired for dating a person of the same sex.

Oddly enough, Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote the dissent in the marriage equality case, hinted at this same logic during sessions considering whether or not to take the case.

“If Sue loves Joe and Tom loves Joe, Sue can marry him and Tom can’t,” Roberts argued in April. “And the difference is based upon their different sex. Why isn’t that a straightforward question of sexual discrimination?”

What remains unclear is how this new interpretation will affect current efforts to pass legislation specific to protecting LGBT employees.

Of course, these new guidelines only help if you can prove you were fired for being gay. But it’s a cause for celebration nonetheless.

Dan Tracer

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WATCH: Transgender Reporter’s Explosive Confrontation with Conservative Journo Ben Shapiro

Things got heated on HLN’s Dr. Drew On Call yesterday when transgender reporter Zoey Tur and Breitbart journalist Ben Shapiro faced off in a debate over Caitlyn Jenner’s ESPY award.

Shapiro, who previously asserted that anyone who thinks openly gay NBA player Jason Collins is a big deal must also hate America, got off on a transphobic tangent about genetics and  “mainstreaming delusions.” Mediaite reports that when Shapiro began misgendering Jenner and Tur, the segment “went straight down the tubes.”

Forget about the disrespect,” Shapiro said, in the full clip first reported by Breitbart. “Facts don’t care about your feelings. It turns out that every chromosome, every cell in Caitlyn Jenner’s body, is male, with the exception of some of his sperm cells.”

“We both know chromosomes don’t necessarily mean you’re male or female,” Tur replied, and then put her hand on Shapiro’s shoulder. “So you don’t know what you’re talking about, you’re not educated on genetics.” That prompted Shapiro to ask: “What are your genetics, sir?”

And off we go. “You cut that out now, or you’ll go home in an ambulance,” Tur shot back while holding Shapiro by the back of his neck. The rest of the show’s guests then explained to Shapiro how he knew full-well his use of “sir” was meant to be inflammatory, but he was not moved. “It’s not a matter of aggressively insulting,” he said. “The entire discussion is whether we are embracing mental illness and delusion as a society.”

When the show returned from a commercial break the two were still going at it, with Tur calling Shapiro a “little man” and “little boy.” Watch the explosive segment below:

Shapiro and fellow conservative troll Matt Walsh later showed their classiness on Twitter reacting to the confrontation.

Note: It is not “polite to the pronouns” to use “she” to describe a male. These words have definitions. t.co/T32yaSSgUO

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) July 17, 2015

Hey @benshapiro, any plans to file charges against the cross dressing man who assaulted you on camera?

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) July 17, 2015

Yes. You do not get to commit battery just because you are part of the chosen victim class. t.co/Byi0h8WaLu

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) July 17, 2015

The post WATCH: Transgender Reporter’s Explosive Confrontation with Conservative Journo Ben Shapiro appeared first on Towleroad.

Kyler Geoffroy

WATCH: Transgender Reporter’s Explosive Confrontation with Conservative Journo Ben Shapiro

Gawker's Nick Denton Regrets, Removes Controversial Post Outing Executive

Gawker CEO Nick Denton has removed a post on the site that outed an executive at a publishing company.

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Yezmin Villarreal

www.advocate.com/media/2015/07/17/gawkers-nick-denton-regrets-removes-controversial-post-outing-executive

LGBT "Treatment" Programs Are Often Child Abuse

On Tuesday, July 14, I spoke in front of the U.S. Capitol Building to call for federal regulation of the residential treatment programs that claim to help troubled teens. I was proud to be joined by Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) who introduced the “Stop Child Abuse in Residential Treatment Programs for Teens Act” that would regulate this multi-million dollar industry known for its abuse of youth. I was also joined by Jodi Hobbs, president of Survivors of Institutional Abuse and Paul Gionfriddo, president of Mental Health America. The following are my remarks:

The voices of young people aren’t often heard at the Capitol. And if you’re a teenager sent to a boot camp, so-called “therapeutic” boarding school or behavior modification program, it’s certain your voice won’t be heard because you’ll be cut off from all contact with your family and the outside world.

So we are here today for those youth whose voices have been silenced. We’re here today for the parents who have been duped into believing these programs would really help their children. And we’re here to demand action on behalf of the hundreds of young people who have actually died–as well as the thousands who suffer long-term trauma–because of the abuse they endured while in unregulated institutions that masquerade as legitimate treatment programs.

It isn’t “treatment” to withhold food and water from a youth. It isn’t treatment to beat a teenager. And nothing should ever be considered treatment that involves denial of medical care, solitary confinement, electric shocks or public humiliation. That’s not therapeutic. That’s child abuse. And yet that is exactly what’s happening throughout the country because residential programs that claim to help troubled teens are operating without necessary and appropriate oversight. This is not just a claim by our campaign coalition, it’s a fact documented by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

LGBT kids are particularly vulnerable. Even in states like California that have outlawed the dangerous and discredited practice of gay conversion therapy, there are residential programs that consider LGBT kids to be troubled–and in need of “fixing”–simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In addition to enduring the same horrible abuses as other youth, LGBT kids face additional levels of abuse that don’t stop until staff believe they’re no longer LGBT. No child can be “scared straight” and none should suffer damaging and sometimes fatal attempts to change who they are.

It’s long past time for Congress to pass sensible legislation to regulate this rogue, multi-million dollar industry that’s profiting from the abuse of young people. If you’re on a plane that’s stuck on the tarmac for more than two hours, federal regulations require the airline to give you food and water. But if you’re a kid sent to a residential treatment program, there’s no regulation that protects you from being deprived of food and water for weeks. Our youth can’t wait any longer. We need to fix this now.

That’s why I applaud the leadership of Representatives Schiff and Ros-Lehtinen for crossing the aisle to promote the Stop Child Abuse in Residential Treatment Programs for Teens Act–a law that would protect kids from unsafe programs. They understand that the health and well-being of young people is not a partisan issue. It isn’t a partisan issue in California, where today our state Assembly is considering similar legislation that received nearly unanimous bipartisan support from our state senate. And it certainly shouldn’t be a partisan issue in our nation’s capitol. I urge the rest of the House to take action to pass the Act and stop this abuse before it’s too late for any other youth.

Please sign the Protect Youth from Institutional Abuse campaign petition at PYIA.org. We’ll contact petition signers when it’s time to urge legislators to support the bills.

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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Kathie Lee Gifford admits she’s sill coming to grips with Caitlyn Jenner’s transition

Kathie Lee Gifford has yet to meet Caitlyn Jenner but Bruce Jenner she thought she knew quite well.

It turns out that like the rest of the world, she did not.

Gifford, a co-host of NBC’s The Today Show, says Jenner’s transition from male to female came a complete surprise to her.

‘I never saw that coming at all. No no. Not in 35 or so years of being dear friends – we went around the world together as families,’ Gifford said this week on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live.

Before Jenner’s widely-seen interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer aired in May, Gifford says they spoke on the telephone after not having spoken in awhile. She and her husband, retired NFL great Frank Gifford, are godparents to Jenner’s two youngest daughters.

‘It was weird because it’s still Bruce’s voice but it’s coming out of Caitlyn’s mouth now,’ she said.

‘I don’t have gaydar at all so I’m certainly not going to have transgendergar – I just don’t. People are people to me.’

Of Jenner quickly becoming a fashion icon and world fascination Gifford said: ”I think it’s much easier to get used to it when you don’t know her as a person and I don’t know her. I’ll look forward to knowing her but it’s bizarre.

‘ … It’s a lot for people (who know her) to digest and I think they’re all trying really hard to and they’re trying to be loving. Bruce was one of the most loveable, adorable, sweetest guys in the world – that is all still there in Caitlyn. Let’s be honest, you’ve gotta come to grips with it somehow.’

The post Kathie Lee Gifford admits she’s sill coming to grips with Caitlyn Jenner’s transition appeared first on Gay Star News.

Greg Hernandez

www.gaystarnews.com/article/kathie-lee-gifford-admits-shes-sill-coming-to-grips-with-caitlyn-jenners-transition/

Rapper Scotty Dynamo Comes Out In Locker Room Video; Was Julius Caesar Queer?

The Emmy nominations were announced yesterday and there’s a mix of the expected (Jessica Lange for her final season on American Horror Story), the bizarre (the much-maligned biopic Grace of Monaco as Outstanding TV Movie) and the sublime (RuPaul‘s Drag Race‘s Mathu Andersen for Outstanding Makeup For A Multi-Camera Series Or Special).

There are many, many things that make iconic entertainer Liza Minnelli happy. Among them are watching her parents’ movies, late fashion designer Halston…and puppies!

You can add Spongebob Squarepants birthday cakes to the Christian baker’s no-no list. As the awesome Allison Lane reminds us in her latest parody video, Leviticus 11:12 forbids the consumption of shellfish.

Don’t disrespect Caitlyn Jenner on your smart phone or Siri will set you straight.

If you consider The Golden Girls to be the gift that keep giving, you’re more right than you knew. The late, great Dorothy Zbornak Bea Arthur passed away in 2009, but bequeathed $300,000 to the Ali Forney Center, which will break ground next week on a center for homeless LGBT Youth Center that will bear her beloved name.

Rapper Scotty Dynamo informs us that he’s gay with “Show Me Yours,” his new music video set in a men’s locker room.

Sam Smith is at the forefront of stylish vocalists and will now put that good taste to good use by collaborating with high fashion house Balenciaga for a men’s line.

A photo posted by Sam Smith (@samsmithworld) on Jul 16, 2015 at 7:08am PDT

If pop singer entertainer Las Vegas resident Britney Spears is what she eats, the mother of two is a big pile of pizza and double icing oreos, according to her handwritten grocery lists which sold on Ebay this week.

Make room Tom of Finland, it’s now time to heap some praise on the provocative art of George Acquaintance.

That time Katie Couric let her hubby know she was in the mood for a little back-door action… or maybe it was just a prank text sent by Amy Schumer.

No one knows for sure whether Julius Caesar had same-sex affairs (it seems likely he did), but an Italian graffiti artist is doing his best to turn the powerful Roman emperor into a queer icon.

Comic Mike Diamond is not only a weblebrity, he’s a “certified life coach,” or so he claims… Anyway, he’s now doling out advice to innocent people on the streets of Hollywood in the series What’s Your Problem?

Jeremy Kinser

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Gawker Pulls Story Outing Media Exec Following Outcry, Openly Gay Managing Editor Nick Denton Issues Apology

Following near unanimous outcry, gossip news site Gawker has taken down last night’s controversial story allegedly outing a high-profile media executive.

Nick Denton, the openly gay founder of Gawker Media and managing editor for the site, issued an apology for publishing the story, saying “it is a decision I regret.”

Wrote Denton:

The story involves extortion, illegality and reckless behavior, sufficient justification at least in tabloid news terms. The account was true and well-reported. It concerns a senior business executive at one of the most powerful media companies on the planet.

In the early days of the internet, that would have been enough. “We put truths on the internet.” That has been the longstanding position of Gawker journalists, some of the most uncompromising and uncompromised on the internet. I cannot blame our editors and writers for pursuing that original mission.

But the media environment has changed, our readers have changed, and I have changed. Not only is criticism of yesterday’s piece from readers intense, but much of what they’ve said has resonated. Some of our own writers, proud to work at one of the only independent media companies, are equally appalled.

I believe this public mood reflects a growing recognition that we all have secrets, and they are not all equally worthy of exposure. I can’t defend yesterday’s story as I can our coverage of Bill O’Reilly, Hillary Clinton or Hulk Hogan.

He continued:

The point of this story was not in my view sufficient to offset the embarrassment to the subject and his family. Accordingly, I have had the post taken down. It is the first time we have removed a significant news story for any reason other than factual error or legal settlement.

Every story is a judgment call. As we go forward, we will hew to our mission of reporting and publishing important stories that our competitors are too timid, or self-consciously upright, to pursue. There will always be stories that critics attack as inappropriate or unjustified; and we will no doubt again offend the sensibilities of some industries or interest groups.

The post Gawker Pulls Story Outing Media Exec Following Outcry, Openly Gay Managing Editor Nick Denton Issues Apology appeared first on Towleroad.

Kyler Geoffroy

Gawker Pulls Story Outing Media Exec Following Outcry, Openly Gay Managing Editor Nick Denton Issues Apology

How Would TV's Superheroes React to Marriage Equality?

The heroes and villains of The Flash, Arrow, and Supergirl reveal how their character would’ve reacted to the Supreme Court’s marriage equality decision.

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Jase Peeples

www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/television/2015/07/17/how-would-tvs-superheroes-react-marriage-equality