N.Y. Governor Acts to Ban Anti-Transgender Discrimination

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will issue new regulations to assure that the state’s Human Rights Law prohibits discrimination against transgender people, the governor announced at tonight’s Empire State Pride Agenda 25th anniversary fall dinner.

New York has banned sexual orientation–based discrimination since 2003, but state lawmakers have repeatedly failed to pass legislation to add gender identity to the law, leading the governor to take this route. It makes New York the 20th state to explicitly ban discrimination based on gender identity and the first to do so on through executive authority, on such a broad basis.

“The scourge of harassment and discrimination against transgender individuals is well-known — and has also has gone largely unanswered for too long,” Cuomo said at the dinner in Manhattan, the New York Daily News reports. “We will not tolerate discrimination or harassment against transgender people anywhere in the state of New York — period.”

Cuomo “will instruct state agencies and introduce regulations to prohibit harassment and discrimination on the basis of gender identity, transgender status, and gender dysphoria in the areas of public and private housing, employment, credit, education and public accommodations,” according to a Pride Agenda press release. “These regulations will carry the full force of law as the New York State Division of Human Rights has statutory authority under Executive Law 2995 to promulgate regulations interpreting the Human Rights Law.”

The regulations will soon be entered into the state registry, and they will go into effect after a 45-day comment period. Then people who have experienced discrimination because of their gender identity will be able to file complaints with the Division of Human Rights, with the state attorney general, or in court.

Transgender New Yorkers face high rates of discrimination, according to Pride Agenda. Seventy-four percent report having been harassed or mistreated on the job, 19 percent say they have been denied a home or apartment, and 53 report having experienced harassment in public accommodations, such as a restaurant, library, store, or public transportation.

For several years, there have been attempts to add gender identity to the Human Rights Law through the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, or GENDA. It has passed the state Assembly eight times, most recently in June, but has never made it through the Senate. Assembly Member Richard Gottfried, a longtime sponsor of GENDA, praised Cuomo’s move but told the Daily News the legislature should still pass the bill, as a future governor could undo the action.

“It always is valuable to have a legislative body to affirm protections,” Sarah Warbelow, legal director for the Human Rights Campaign, told The New York Times, while also applauding Cuomo’s action. “Gov. Cuomo is the first to take matters into his own hands,” she said. “And assure this level of equality for transgender people.” (In some states similar orders have applied to public employees only.)

Pride Agenda and many other organizations were likewise quick to praise Cuomo. “After years of tireless advocacy, we’ve won a tremendous victory for transgender civil rights with Gov. Cuomo’s announcement tonight,” said Pride Agenda executive director Nathan Schaefer in the group’s press release. He also lauded Gottfried and State Sen. Daniel Squadron for championing GENDA in the legislature.

Other reactions:

“Millions of New Yorkers have been waiting for this day,” said Rea Carey, executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund. “We thank Gov. Cuomo for his leadership in extending protections to the Empire State’s transgender and gender-nonconforming communities, who face discrimination in almost every area of their lives at levels much higher than LGBQ people and the general population. We want to thank all the LGBTQ organizations in New York State who have worked so diligently for this day. ”

“This critically important step by Gov. Cuomo is not only consistent with case law, but is the moral choice to protect thousands of transgender New Yorkers and visitors,” said HRC president Chad Griffin. He noted that the regulations build on state and federal case law, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity’s ruling that discrimination based on gender identity is sex discrimination and therefore a violation of the federal Civil Rights Act.

“As we’ve painfully witnessed again and again this year, transgender people face epidemic rates of violence, harassment, and discrimination in this country,” said Transgender Law Center executive director Kris Hayashi. “Explicit protections based on gender identity and expression, like those New York is adopting and which 19 other states have in place, are a critical part of creating a society where all people can survive and thrive.”

“Once again, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has proven that he keeps his promises,” said Kelsey Louie, CEO of Gay Men’s Health Crisis, which had been working with Pride Agenda in the effort to pass GENDA. “It is easy for people to assume that with the recent Supreme Court decision that brought marriage equality to every state in America that the fight for full equality is over,” Louie added. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”

“These clear legal protections go a long way toward allowing transgender New Yorkers to enjoy dignity, respect and access to opportunity in New York,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, who also stressed the need to pass GENDA nonetheless. “Gender identity and gender expression should be explicitly included as protected categories under New York State’s Human Rights Law, on equal footing with other protected classes including sexual orientation, race, religion and disability,” she said. “By enacting GENDA, New York can establish itself as a leader in protecting and respecting the rights of all.”

Cuomo has taken “a bold and courageous step,” State Sen. Brad Hoylman, the only openly gay member of the legislature, told the Daily News. “Soon thousands of New Yorkers will no longer be considered second-class citizens simply because they identify as transgender,” he added.

There was no immediate statement from the New York Republican Party, but the leader of the state’s Conservative Party was not thrilled, calling Cuomo’s action an overreach. “I think he’s starting to consider himself not the governor, he’s considering himself the czar of New York, which he is not,” party chairman Michael Long told the Daily News. The Conservative Party is separate from the Republican Party but usually backs Republican candidates.

Long added that everyone should be protected from discrimination, but said GENDA hasn’t passed because Republicans don’t believe in “setting up special categories of people to give them special privileges and rights.”

Trudy Ring

www.advocate.com/transgender/2015/10/22/ny-governor-acts-ban-anti-transgender-discrimination

How USA Olympic Skier Gus Kenworthy Redefined 'Gay'
You can smell the male teenage testosterone long before you witness it in action at any ski resort terrain park. Rich white boys dressed in branded gear make hand gestures once reserved for gangs in the ghetto now adopted by the snow fraternity.

They high five, skin slap and verbally whoop as their mates up the ski and snowboard ante, egging each other on to bigger and better tricks. If something is cool, it’s dope; if it’s uncool, it’s gay.

The urban dictionary defines “gay” as “often used to describe something stupid or unfortunate. originating from homophobia. quite preferable among many teenage males in order to buff up their ‘masculinity’.”

Which is why 24-year-old freeskiing legend, Telluride hero, and Olympic medalist, Gus Kenworthy’s decision to finally come out publicly with one simple tweet promoting his in-depth interview in ESPN The Magazine’s Being Out Issue is such huge news.

Even those who don’t ski know Kenworthy. He’s the all-around American, uber-talented dream with perfect teeth, rosy skin and a way on a pair of skis that has put him at the top of his chosen field – the youth-obsessed sport of slopestyle skiing. He’s the American skier who rescued a bunch of stray puppies from Sochi in Russia (where he also won an Olympic silver medal) and brought them to America for a better life; and now he’s the out and proud “gay” skier.

I love that Kenworthy has spoken his truth so he can live his truth without shame, and he can do this in his twenties and beyond. Australian Olympic swimming champion, Ian Thorpe, consistently denied his sexuality publicly and suffered years of depression before finally speaking out at age 31. Being a champion can be a heavy load, being a role model even heavier and each person has their own journey to coming out to live. When it’s time, it’s time; and for some that may never come.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 10 to 24 and LGBT youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers. While the ESPN article says it discusses what it means “to be an openly gay athlete in a post-acceptance world,” I challenge the idea that 2016 is post-acceptance. Homophobia is still so prevalent, especially in conservative America where homosexuality is still considered by many to be a sin; and crazies like Kim Davies are prepared to go to jail to defend their right to a heterosexual-only world.

Kenworthy himself reveals in the video interview with ESPN that “if I was to die doing this (skiing) then no-one would ever have to know this dark side of me. I’ve been depressed, I’ve had anxiety, I’ve been suicidal.”

There are few young successful gay role models for teenagers wrestling with their sexuality. For every LGBT Olympic medalist, X-Games hero, Hollywood starlet that has the courage to openly embrace themselves there are a gazillion cyber bullies to admonish them for doing so. But if a young, successful sportsman can come out in their male-dominated sports locker room then there is hope for those who feel too discriminated against to come out too.

I know that testosterone in the ski world that Kenworthy speaks of, as a female in the ski industry I have felt the oppression of it time and time again. Sexism is alive and well in an industry dominated by old-school male ways. I have written about it, then written about it again, and then again and yet again.

Being gay in the ski world is as much a choice as being female is. You either are or you are not and neither should prevent you from achieving your snow sports dreams, nor should you be shamed for it through language use, unequal prize money or body objectification by big brands. The fact that Kenworthy knew he was gay from the age of five, lives in a liberal ski town of Telluride, and is born to clearly accepting and supportive parents and still felt he could not come out until now shows that “post-acceptance” era that ESPN refers to is yet to truly exist.

Around two percent of American men (willing to admit it) identify as homosexual so chances are Gus Kenworthy is not alone on that podium level. If his coming out inspires one other athlete to do the same then fantastic, if his willingness to live his true authentic life on the world stage inspires one LGBT teen to remain alive and accept themselves as they are too then bloody brilliant.

If his sports prowess and integrity make testosterone-fuelled teen boys question the term “gay” as derogatory then that is another step towards the acceptance that we all aspire too — gay, bisexual, ethnic, geek, female, tall, short, overweight, underweight and flawed as we humanly are.

Rachael Oakes-Ash is a ski journalist and the founder of www.snowsbest.com where this piece originally appeared. Follow her on twitter & instagram @misssnowitall

— 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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Open Question: Why do dems get so hung up on the details they can't see the obvious big picture in front of them?
They say we dont want any reference to God in public places.
We support LGBT practices
We dont want a border fence
We want to take in massive numbers of refugees
We have to teach students that evolution is THEE only possibility of how we came to exist
Its racist to deport illegals
F*** Israel
Blah blah etc etc….
What they dont realize is that all these TOGETHER are causing the destruction of judeo christian western civilization.

answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20151022190857AAuEpDZ

Florida Bill Tests Waters of 'Religious Freedom'

A Florida lawmaker has proposed a so-called religious freedom bill, echoing controversial legislation passed in recent years in Mississippi, Indiana, and Arkansas.

Florida Republican Rep. Julio Gonzalez filed House Bill 101 on Wednesday, which could give individuals, businesses, religious institutions, and even adoption and health care agencies what opponents call a license to discriminate against LGBT people in Florida.

If the bill becomes law, these businesses would not have “to produce, create, or deliver a product or service” that violates a religious or moral principle held by a business or its employees.

Gonzalez claims to have filed the bill in response to a perceived attack on “religious freedoms,” reports HT Politics.

“There have been various situations where there are increasing possibilities of subsections of society having their religious freedoms encroached on,” Gonzalez told the local news source. “Over time it became obvious to me we need to adopt some statutory protections.”

“We have seen in other states the bakers, the photographers who don’t want to participate in certain religious events,” Gonzalez continued.

The Catholic representative is referring to cases like Sweet Cakes by Melissa, in which antigay business owners and bakers Aaron and Melissa Klein refused to bake a cake for a lesbian couple in Oregon. The bakers were later ordered by a state agency to pay a hefty fine for violating Oregon’s existing nondiscrimination law, which they have since refused to pay.

Earlier this year, the Florida Senate repealed the state’s longtime ban on adoption by gays and lesbians, a law rendered unenforceable by a court decision five years ago. However, in response, conservatives have fought to pass legislation that would allow adoption agencies to deny placing children with prospective parents on moral or religious grounds.

The bill filed by Gonzalez is similar to laws passed in Arkansas and Indiana, which created an intense backlash from public figures like George Takei and Miley Cyrus, as well as businesses like Apple and consumer review site Angie’s List, which cancelled a planned expansion of its headquarters in Indianapolis in the wake of Indiana’s so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Critics of Gonzalez’s bill, like lobbyist Carlos Guillermo Smith, worry that this “sweeping anti-LGBT legislation” could incite a similar firestorm in Florida.

“Bills like this threaten Florida’s tourism-based economy and could provoke an Indiana-style backlash. It would be a disaster for Florida,” Smith told the local outlet.

But Gonzalez is unfazed.

“This is not about discriminating,” Gonzalez told HT Politics. “This is making sure the state stops, at a narrowly crafted level, from intruding into somebody’s liberties.”

Daniel Reynolds

www.advocate.com/politics/2015/10/22/florida-bill-tests-waters-religious-freedom

The Danger of Complacency after Obergefell

By Katy Dolan, Harvard College 2018

November 18, 2003 was arguably the first day that same-sex couples in the United States saw a sliver of hope in the quest for marriage equality. On that day, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled 4-3 in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health that same-sex couples had the right to marry. This decision set a precedent which snowballed for almost 12 years into the truly transformative Obergefell vs. Hodges Supreme Court case, which extended the rights afforded by Goodridge to the entire United States – yes, as of June 26, 2015, same-sex couples throughout America have the right to get married.

Despite the fact that marriage equality has been affirmed by our nation’s most powerful judicial body, there is still a vocal minority that opposes the decision – a concept explored in the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum on Monday night. “The Conservative Case for Marriage Equality: The Future of Religion and the LGBTQ Movement” brought together three diverse and important players in the LGBTQ advocacy space. Chief Justice Margaret Marshall, who wrote the majority opinion for Goodridge, provided the legal reasoning behind the first judicial mandate for marriage equality. Andrew Sullivan, a widely-read writer and blogger, gave his perspective as a gay, Catholic, conservative man who wants to end the criticism of same-sex marriage by the latter two groups to which he belongs. And rounding out the panel was Matthew Vines, a former Harvard student who left Cambridge to study the Bible and provide rationale for evangelical Christians to believe that God does not condemn homosexuality.

Indeed, there are a certain few (unsurprising) demographic groups whose majorities continue to oppose same-sex marriage. The same-sex marriage approval rating steadily declines with each older generation; only 39% of those born between 1928 and 1945 believe that same-sex marriage should be legal, but encouragingly 70% of millennials are leading the charge toward equality. White evangelical Protestants are the most unsupportive religious group (only 24% favor marriage equality), explaining why Vines has chosen to focus his advocacy in that population. Finally, only 32% of Republicans favor same-sex marriage, a statistic that Sullivan has been trying to change since the late 80s.

“The Vatican is probably the second gayest institution, outside of Broadway.” – @sullydish #FaithLGBTIOP

— JFK Jr. Forum (@JFKJrForum) October 19, 2015

Margaret Mitchell believes that the country will soon move past such bitter arguments over same-sex marriage because “many people of younger generations have grown up with [same-sex marriage] being an non-issue”, and as one of those people I very much agree. However, while this optimism and forward orientation is admirable and crucial to the future of the LGBTQ movement, we simply cannot forget about these startling statistics and the fact that there are still millions and millions of Americans, whether conservative or Christian or both or neither, who still don’t believe that same-sex couples have the right to a marriage certificate. And that is unacceptable.

It is our responsibility to continue reasoning with opponents to shrink that all-too-vocal minority. The day that we give up and move on, the day that we shrug and figure that eventually the opposition will lose elections or die out, is another day that an LGBTQ person will be fired for no cause other than their sexual orientation or gender identity. It’s another day that LGBTQ youth in America will kill him or herself due to unimaginable bullying.

The fact of the matter is, we simply are not done fighting the stigma of LGBTQ-ness. Leaders like Matthew Vines, who are not giving up but are instead targeting the very populations that are the hardest to convince, should serve as an inspiration for those of us looking to be an ally in our every day lives. We are not a complacent generation, so let’s not let the recent Supreme Court decision make us complacent about civil rights and safe spaces for anyone else who is still struggling to thrive in a society where they are not always treated as equal.

Data from the Pew Research Center: www.pewforum.org/2015/07/29/graphics-slideshow-changing-attitudes-on-gay-marriage/.

—
Katy Dolan (’18) hails from Spokane, Washington and is studying Government and Psychology at Harvard University. She balances her political interests with work in the fields of social entrepreneurship and youth empowerment, and spends her precious free time playing piano and being annoyingly sarcastic.

— 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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Open Question: Does Biphobia Exist (LGBT)?
I have heard of homophobia but never biphobia, I imagine it is the same as homophobia but against bisexuals.

I am not biphobic, some think it is strange that i am lesbian yet none of my favourite famous people are LGBT.

In my opinion no actor gay, bisexual or straight can match Robert Deniro, that isnt homophobia or biphobia, just opinion.

answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20151022153002AAV5iaE

YouTuber Criticized While Showing Off Sexy Halloween Costumes Responds To Your Hate

Earlier this month, YouTuber Jack Merridew posted a video in which he showed off his slutty barely-there Halloween costume possibilities and asked his mom for advice. Some people were amused, a few were probably turned on, but a whole lot of people (including some of you reading this now) tore into the young vlogger, berating him for being too thin and for…wait for it… perpetuating negative gay stereotypes. Well, Jack heard you and has posted a video response.

“All the hate on this Halloween costume video came from gay men, and it was weird,” Merridew said. “Come on, gay men. We’re supposed to be brothers. We’re a big fucking family. And you can’t choose your family, so I’m that brother that you want to get rid of, but you know what? You’re fucking stuck with me.”

Watch the rest of his response while he scarfs down some Burger King below.

Jeremy Kinser

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/kHwTApzMYog/youtuber-criticized-while-showing-off-sexy-halloween-costumes-responds-to-your-hate-20151022

News: Warwick Rowers, ’25’, Hillary Clinton, Northern Ireland, Paul Ryan

> California becomes first state to endorse sex reassignment surgery policy for prisoners. 

> Laverne Cox to star in TV remake of Rocky Horror Picture Show. 

> What it’s like to be an LGBT Syrian fleeing for your life.

> The Warwick Rowers are back (caution: work-unfriendly).

> Prince Harry looks good in uniform.

> Adele reveals release date and track list for new album “25.”

> Have you been tuning in to hearing #8 on Benghazi?

> Some may have fallen asleep…9 hours and still going.

> Here are the GIFs to give you a recap of Hillary’s reactions so far.

> Judge in Northern Ireland sets hearing date for case centering on an anti-gay baker who refused to make a cake with a pro-gay marriage slogan on it.

> President Obama vetoes defense bill advanced by House Republicans. 

> Channing Tatum as Winnie the Pooh.

> Donald Trump blames “young intern” for re-tweet that suggested there is something wrong in the brain with Iowa voters for favoring Ben Carson over him in latest poll.

> Daniel Craig on what we can learn from James Bond to help us in our day-to-day lives.

> Utah artist Trevor Southey, who celebrated human form and became a gay Mormon icon, dies at 75.

> Paul Ryan will run for Speaker of the House.

> Mario Lopez cast in Grease TV movie.

> It’s unusual: Tom Jones says he was paranoid after meeting his first homosexual. 

The post News: Warwick Rowers, ’25’, Hillary Clinton, Northern Ireland, Paul Ryan appeared first on Towleroad.

Sean Mandell

News: Warwick Rowers, ’25’, Hillary Clinton, Northern Ireland, Paul Ryan