Monthly Archives: April 2016



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NEWS

Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant Signs Law Attacking LGBT People and Families

Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant Signs Law Attacking LGBT People and Families

Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, lambasted Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant for signing into law H.B. 1523, “The Religious Liberty Accommodations Act.” National corporations and businesses have spoken out against the horrific measure, that would allow individuals, religious organizations and private associations to use religion to discriminate against LGBT Mississippians in some of the most important aspects of their lives, including at work, at schools, and in their communities. Following Kansas and North Carolina, Mississippi becomes the third state this legislative session to sign into law an explicitly anti-LGBT bill.

Some of the state’s largest employers, including Nissan Group of North America, Tyson Food Inc, MGM Resorts International, and Toyota publicly voiced their opposition to the appalling legislation, joining national corporations such as AT&T, IBM, Levi Strauss & Co, MassMutual, General Electric, and Hyatt Hotel Corporations. In a statement yesterday, Jay C. Moon, President and CEO of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association (MMA) called for Governor Bryant to veto the measure saying: “It is clear that many of our members find that HB 1523 would violate their corporate policies expressly providing for an inclusive workplace environment that supports diversity. This is not a bill that the MMA supports and we hope that it will not find its way into law.”And last week, the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi released a strongly worded statement condemning the bill as well.

“Gov Phil Bryant adds his name to a list of disgraced Southern governors by signing this hateful and discriminatory bill into law,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Governor Bryant refused to meet with LGBT people and even turned us away at the door of his office. He refused to listen to business leaders. He refused to listen to Mississippians. And now his state will suffer because of his ignorance and failure of leadership. Just as we’re doing elsewhere, we will continue to rally fair-minded voters, businesses, and civil rights advocates to repeal.”

At a rally yesterday evening outside the governor’s mansion, HRC President Chad Griffin joined HRC Mississippi, the ACLU of Mississippi, Southern Poverty Law Center, Planned Parenthood Southeast, Gulf Coast Equality and hundreds of advocates from across Mississippi urging Governor Bryant to veto HB 1523. Earlier, HRC requested that the governor meet with LGBT Mississippians, but that call has gone unanswered — and advocates were turned away from his office. Speaker Philip Gunn also refused an HRC request that he meet with the LGBT community before yesterday’s final vote on the discriminatory bill.Description: https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/images/cleardot.gif

Under this new law, religion could be used by most any individual or organization to justify discrimination against LGBT people, single mothers, unwed couples and others.  Tax-payer funded faith-based organizations could: refuse to recognize the marriages of same-sex couples for provision of critical services including emergency shelter; deny children in need of loving homes placement with LGBT families including the child’s own family member; and refuse to sell or rent a for-profit home to an LGBT person — even if the organization receives government funding. It would also give foster families the freedom to subject an LGBTQ child to the dangerous practice of “conversion therapy,” and subject a pregnant unwed girl to abuse, without fear of government intervention or license suspension. It would even allow individuals to refuse to carry out the terms of a state contract for the provision of counseling services to all eligible individuals, including veterans, based on the counselor’s beliefs about LGBT people or single mothers.

Furthermore, schools, employers, and service providers could refuse transgender people access to appropriate sex-segregated facilities consistent with their gender identity — all in direct conflict with the U.S. Department of Justice’s enforcement of federal law. HB 1523 even legalizes Kim Davis-style discrimination by allowing government employees to abdicate their duties and refuse to license or solemnize marriages for LGBT people.

Mississippi’s HB 1523 is the third stand-alone anti-LGBT bill signed in law in 2016. The attack on fairness and equality are part of an onslaught of anti-LGBT bills being pushed in 2016 by anti-equality activists around the country, including nearly 200 anti-LGBT bills in 34 states. As of today, at least half of these bills have been beaten back around the country. 

www.hrc.org/blog/mississippi-governor-phil-bryant-signs-law-attacking-lgbt-people-and-famili?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

NEWS

BREAKING: Mississippi's anti-LGBT HB 1523 becomes law, signed by governor

BREAKING: Mississippi's anti-LGBT HB 1523 becomes law, signed by governor

Brandiilyne Dear

Today, Governor Phil Bryant signed into law HB 1523, a “license to discriminate bill” also known as the Religious Accommodations Act. In late March, the bill passed with overwhelming support in the state House and Senate, despite being widely opposed by vocal advocates at home and across the country.

I have signed House Bill 1523. Full statement: pic.twitter.com/00DbgQADFt

— Phil Bryant (@PhilBryantMS) April 5, 2016

Sarah Kate Ellis, President & CEO of GLAAD, responded in a statement:

“Governor Bryant has put the people and the economy of Mississippi at risk and damaged his state’s reputation by signing this regressive anti-LGBT bill into law. If Gov. Bryant listened to the stories of Mississippians fired from jobs, refused service, and shunned from their families, then perhaps he might have a sense of why bills like HB 1523 devastate LGBT people and their families. But Gov. Bryant’s attack on fairness will not deter us; the LGBT community will not stop demanding equality and full acceptance until everyone in Mississippi can live the life they love.”

As part of an earlier petition urging Governor Bryant to veto the bill, the ACLU stated:

If this becomes law, single mothers, same-sex couples and their families, transgender people, and vulnerable youth will face hateful discrimination. They could be turned away from social services like homeless shelters, denied medical care, or be fired from their jobs.

This bill allows individuals, businesses and religiously-affiliated organizations (including hospitals, schools, emergency services, and more) to discriminate on the basis of religious beliefs or moral convictions. This means discrimination regarding marriage for same-sex couples, sexual activity outside of heterosexual marriage, and the very existence of transgender people.

While other state legislatures have advanced attacks on LGBT people this session, no state in the country has passed a law like this.

In a recent article, Mother Jones said of the bill:

The Mississippi bill is so sweeping that it may be more discriminatory than even the North Carolina statute. The Mississippi bill would essentially make it impossible to sue for gender or sexuality discrimination if the motivation for the discrimination was religion.

Here are some of the bill’s provisions:

  • Any organization can decline “to provide services, accommodations, facilities, goods or privileges for a purpose related to the solemnization, formation, celebration or recognition of any marriage.”
  • Employers can make a “decision whether or not to hire, terminate or discipline an individual whose conduct or religious beliefs are inconsistent with those of the religious organization.”
  • Mississippians can deny housing based on religious beliefs.
  • Foster care organizations and adoption agencies can “decline to provide any adoption or foster care service” without fear of retribution.
  • The state can’t prosecute any person who “declines to participate in the provision of treatments, counseling, or surgeries related to sex reassignment or gender identity transitioning or declines to participate in the provision of psychological, counseling or fertility services” or any wedding- or marriage-related services.
  • Schools and business owners can establish “sex-specific standards or policies concerning employee or student dress or grooming, or concerning access to restrooms, spas, baths, showers, dressing rooms, locker rooms, or other intimate facilities or settings.”

Despite outcry from LGBT Mississippians and their allies, on-the-ground and national advocates, big and small businesses, and more, Governor Bryant previously said of the bill “I don’t think it’s discriminatory. I think it gives some people as I appreciate it, the right to be able to say, ‘that’s against my religious beliefs and I don’t need to carry out that particular task.'”

Though Governor Bryant says he believes the bill isn’t discriminatory, the many LGBT people and their families living the Magnolia state are now at risk of pervasive harm in their daily lives, from work, to their family lives, to housing, healthcare, and more.

The Southern Poverty Law Center helps breaks down the pervasive impact of discrimination within the bill: 

Mississippi Lawmakers on Brink of Passing Georgia-Style Anti-LGBT ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill t.co/Ie7K5yCsjF pic.twitter.com/lUx5d55lH0

— SPLC (@splcenter) March 30, 2016

GLAAD has been speaking out against discriminatory laws in several states, including most recently Georgia, North Carolina, and South Dakota. GLAAD’s resource, “Debunking the ‘Bathroom Bills Myth‘” is a valuable resource for journalists and everyday people to understand the importance and impact of nondiscrimination bills, and ways to debunk falsehoods that often are raised in opposition to such bills. GLAAD is calling on media, both in Mississippi and nationally, to ask media to hold promoters of such discriminatory bills as HB 1523 accountable for false claims they have made.

LGBT advocates and media figures can also find background information about the LGBT community in Mississippi through GLAAD’s guidebook on the state. GLAAD developed the resource with the ACLU of Mississippi and The PRISM Center.

 
 

 

Amplify your opposition to Mississippi’s “license to discriminate” law using the hashtag #NoHB1523, and follow GLAAD on social media for regular updates.

April 6, 2016

www.glaad.org/blog/breaking-mississippis-anti-lgbt-hb-1523-becomes-law-signed-governor

NEWS

North Carolina Just Lost 400 Jobs Because Of Its Anti-LGBT Law

North Carolina Just Lost 400 Jobs Because Of Its Anti-LGBT Law

“As a company that is committed to the principle that everyone deserves to live without fear of discrimination simply for being who they are, becoming an employer in North Carolina, where members of our teams will not have equal rights under the law, is simply untenable. “

The post North Carolina Just Lost 400 Jobs Because Of Its Anti-LGBT Law appeared first on ThinkProgress.

thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2016/04/05/3766501/paypal-north-carolina/

NEWS

The Nation Eyes Tennessee as Anti-LGBT Bills Face Additional Hearings

The Nation Eyes Tennessee as Anti-LGBT Bills Face Additional Hearings

This could be a crucial week for the economic future of Tennessee as we watch several critical hearings in the state. Two anti-LGBT bills face votes in Tennessee, while major economic and political fallout continues to grow in North Carolina for passing just one anti-equality measure.

House Bill 2414 and its Senate companion, SB 2387, would deny transgender students in Tennessee access to bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity. These disturbing and unnecessary bills apply to all public schools, both K-12 and public universities in Tennessee.

On Tuesday, April 5, the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to consider the fiscal impact that SB 2387 would have to the state budget if they become law. Tennessee stands to lose at least 3 billion dollars in federal funding if this law passes, including at least $1 billion in education funding since it would put Tennessee schools in direct violation of Title IX.

On Wednesday, April 6, the House Education Administration & Planning committee could consider a motion to reconsider their actions from a previous hearing where legislators decided to send HB 2414 to study the issue over the summer before making a decision. If the committee reconsiders their action, the bill could move forward again, putting this dangerous piece of anti-transgender legislation back on track toward passing the House.

Also this week, the House is expected to consider HB 1840 which would allow licensed counselors in private practice to use their own religious beliefs as an excuse for terminating care or referring away clients because of moral objections to how they identify. This bill has already passed the Senate despite testimony at hearings opposing this bill and is dangerously close to becoming law.

These anti-LGBT laws continue to gain traction in Tennessee despite the continued fallout in the neighboring southern state of North Carolina. Already, over 120 business leaders have signed a letter demanding the repeal of North Carolina’s HB2. Conference planners have begun rescheduling their meetings in other states, the state’s federal funding could be at risk and the NCAA and NFL has stated that North Carolina could lose future sporting events if the bill is not repealed.

If you live in Tennessee, contact legislators now opposing anti-LGBT legislation in your state.

For more information about how to get involved in Tennessee, contact HRC’s Senior Regional Field Organizer Ryan Wilson at [email protected].

www.hrc.org/blog/the-nation-eyes-tennessee-as-anti-lgbt-bills-face-additional-hearings?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

NEWS

Leading CEOs and Business Leaders Urge North Carolina To Repeal Discriminatory Anti-LGBT Law

Leading CEOs and Business Leaders Urge North Carolina To Repeal Discriminatory Anti-LGBT Law

Letter updated as of April 5, 2016:

More than 120 leading CEOs and business leaders from across the country have signed onto an open letter calling on NC Governor Pat McCrory and the North Carolina General Assembly to repeal radical provisions of the state’s new discriminatory law in the upcoming legislative session. 

“Discrimination is bad for North Carolina, bad for America, and bad for business,” said HRC President Chad Griffin in announcing the open letter on Tuesday, March 29. “These business leaders are speaking out because they know this attack on lesbian, gay, bisexual and especially transgender North Carolinians isn’t just morally wrong — it also puts their employees, customers and North Carolina’s economy at risk. For the sake of all North Carolinians, Governor McCrory and the General Assembly must act now to repeal this heinous attack on fairness and equality.”

“North Carolina’s place as a business leader in the South is based on fairness, inclusion, and diversity,” said Equality NC Executive Director Chris Sgro with the release of the open letter. “HB 2 does not represent North Carolina values, and it weakens our competitive edge. We are glad to see our business community in the Old North State standing up against discriminatory measures like this. Governor McCrory made a mess of our state last week, and our businesses are leading the charge to repair our state to a place of fairness.”

Gov. McCrory unbelievably claimed, “We have not taken away any rights that have currently existed in any city in North Carolina” — but PolitiFact rated that claim as false. H.B. 2 has eliminated existing municipal non-discrimination protections for LGBT people and prevents such protections from being passed by cities in the future. The legislation also forces transgender students in public schools to use restrooms and other facilities inconsistent with their gender identity, putting 4.5 billion dollars in federal funding under Title IX at risk. It also compels the same type of discrimination against transgender people to take place in state buildings, including in public universities.  Lawmakers passed the legislation in a hurried, single-day session last Wednesday, and Governor McCrory quickly signed it into law in the dead of night.

North Carolina has the unfortunate distinction of becoming the first state in the country to enact a law attacking transgender students, even after similar proposals were rejected across the country this year — including a high-profile veto by the Republican Governor Dennis Daugaard of South Dakota. North Carolina school districts that comply with the law will now be in direct violation of Title IX, subjecting the school districts to massive liability and putting an estimated $4.5 billion of federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education, as well as funding received by schools from other federal agencies, at risk. This section of House Bill 2 offers costly supposed solutions to non-existent problems, and it forces schools to choose between complying with federal law — plus doing the right thing for their students — or complying with a state law that violates students’ civil rights. Read more about how this bill puts federal funding at risk here.

The full letter to Governor McCrory and it’s current list of signatories is below:

Dear Governor McCrory,

We write with concerns about legislation you signed into law last week, HB 2, which has overturned protections for LGBT people and sanctioned discrimination across North Carolina. Put simply, HB 2 is not a bill that reflects the values of our companies, of our country, or even the overwhelming majority of North Carolinians.

We are disappointed in your decision to sign this discriminatory legislation into law. The business community, by and large, has consistently communicated to lawmakers at every level that such laws are bad for our employees and bad for business. This is not a direction in which states move when they are seeking to provide successful, thriving hubs for business and economic development. We believe that HB 2 will make it far more challenging for businesses across the state to recruit and retain the nation’s best and brightest workers and attract the most talented students from across the nation. It will also diminish the state’s draw as a destination for tourism, new businesses, and economic activity.

Discrimination is wrong and we believe it has no place in North Carolina or anywhere in our country. As companies that pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming to all, we strongly urge you and the leadership of North Carolina’s legislature to repeal this law in the upcoming legislative session.

Sincerely,

Karen Appleton, Senior Vice President, Box
Brandee Barker, Cofounder, The Pramana Collective
Marc Benioff, CEO, Salesforce
Chip Bergh, President and CEO, Levi Strauss & Co.
Michael Birch, Founder, Blab
Ed Black, President and CEO, Computer & Communications Industry Association
Nathan Blecharczyk, Cofounder and CTO, Airbnb
Steven R. Boal, CEO, Quotient Technology Inc.
Ron Boire, CEO, Barnes and Noble
Lorna Borenstein, CEO, Grokker
Jim Brewer, Vice President of Government Affairs, American Society of Interior Designers
Brad Brinegar, Chairman and CEO, McKinney
John Bryant, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Kellogg Company
Wes Bush, Chairman, CEO and President of Northrop Grumman
Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar, co-CEOs, Atlassian
Lloyd Carney, CEO, Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
Brian Chesky, CEO, Airbnb
Emanuel Chirico, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, PVH Corp.
Ron Conway, Founder and Co-Managing Partner, SV Angel
Tim Cook, CEO, Apple
Paul T. Dacier, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, EMC Corporation
Dean Debnam, Chairman and CEO, Workplace Options
Jack Dorsey, CEO, Square and Twitter
David Ebersman, Cofounder and CEO, Lyra Health
Jared Fliesler, General Partner, Matrix Partners
Vince Forlenza, Chairman, CEO and President, BD
Joe Gebbia, Cofounder and Chief Product Officer, Airbnb
Jason Goldberg, CEO, Pepo
Alan King, President and COO, Workplace Options
Kristen Koh Goldstein, CEO, BackOps
Mitchell Gold, co-founder and chair-man, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
John H. Graham IV, President and CEO, American Society of Association Executives
Logan Green, CEO, Lyft
Mike Gregoire, CEO, CA Technologies
Paul Graham, Founder, Y Combinator
David Hassell, CEO, 15Five
Charles H. Hill III, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Human Resources, Pfizer Inc.
Reid Hoffman, Chairman, LinkedIn
Robert Hohman, Cofounder & CEO, Glassdoor
Mark Hoplamazian, President and CEO, Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Drew Houston, CEO, Dropbox
William H. Howle, President of U.S. Retail Banking Group, Citibank
Steve Huffman, CEO, Reddit
Chad Hurley, Cofounder, YouTube
Dave Imre, Partner and CEO, IMRE
Dev Ittycheria, President & CEO, MongoDB
Laurene Powell Jobs, President, Emerson Collective
Michael O. Johnson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Herbalife
Cecily Joseph, VP Corporate Responsibility and Chief Diversity Officer, Symantec Corporation
Steve Joyce, CEO, Choice Hotels International
Travis Kalanick, CEO, Uber
David Karp, Founder and CEO, Tumblr
Travis Katz, Founder and CEO, Gogobot
Brian Krzanich, CEO, Intel         
Joshua Kushner, Managing Partner, Thrive Capital
Michael W. Lamach, Chairman and CEO, Ingersoll-Rand plc
Jeff Lawson, Founder, CEO and Chairman, Twilio
Max Levchin, CEO, Affirm
Dion Lim, CEO, NextLesson
Shan-lyn Ma, CEO, Zola          
Vishal Makhijani, COO, Udacity
Tom Mangas, CEO, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
Bill Maris, CEO, Google Ventures
Marissa Mayer, President and CEO, Yahoo
Melody McCloskey, CEO, StyleSeat
Douglas Merrill, CEO, Zestfinance
Dyke Messinger, President and CEO, Power Curbers Inc.
Steve Mollenkopf, CEO, Qualcomm Inc.
Brian Moynihan, CEO, Bank of America
Hari Nair, Vice President and General Manager, Orbitz.com & CheapTickets.com
Christopher J. Nassetta, President & Chief Executive Officer, Hilton Worldwide
Michael Natenshon, CEO, Marine Layer
Alexi G. Nazem, Cofounder and CEO, Nomad Health
Alexis Ohanian, Cofounder, Reddit
Laurie J. Olson, EVP, Strategy, Portfolio and Commercial Operations, Pfizer Inc.
Bob Page, Founder and CEO, Replacements, Ltd.
Doug Parker, Chairman and CEO, American Airlines
Mike Pedersen, CEO and President, TD Bank, N.A.
Michelle Peluso, Strategic Advisor and former CEO, Gilt
Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google
Mark Pincus, Founder and Executive Chairman, Zynga
Hosain Rahman, CEO, Jawbone
Bill Ready, CEO, Braintree
Evan Reece, CEO, Liftopia
Stan Reiss, General Partner, Matrix Partners
John Replogle, CEO, Seventh Generation
Chuck Robbins, CEO, Cisco Systems
Virginia M. Rometty, Chairman, President and CEO, IBM Corporation
Dan Rosensweig, CEO, Chegg
Kevin P. Ryan, Founder and Chairman, Alleycorp
Bijan Sabet, General Partner, Spark Capital
Julie Samuels, President, Engine
George A. Scangos, PhD, CEO, Biogen
Paula Schneider, CEO, American Apparel
Steve Schoch, CEO, Miramax
Dan Schulman, President and CEO, PayPal
Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO, Starbucks
Adam Shankman, Director and Producer
Gary Shapiro, President and CEO, Consumer Technology Association
David A. Shaywitz, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer, DNAnexus
Behshad Sheldon, President and CEO, Braeburn Pharmaceuticals
Ben Silbermann, CEO, Pinterest
Brad Smith, President and Chief Legal Officer, Microsoft
Arne Sorenson, President and CEO, Marriott International
David Spector, Cofounder, ThirdLove
Jeremy Stoppelman, CEO, Yelp
John G. Stumpf, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Wells Fargo & Company
Julie Sweet, Group Chief Executive North America, Accenture
Bret Taylor, CEO, Quip
Todd Thibodeaux, CEO, CompTIA
Brian Tippens, Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
David Tisch, Managing Partner, BoxGroup
Nirav Tolia, Cofounder and CEO, Nextdoor
Kevin A. Trapani, President and CEO, The Redwood Groups
Mark Trudeau, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals
Ken Wasch, President, Software & Information Industry Association
Casey Wasserman, Chairman and CEO of Wasserman & President and CEO of the Wasserman Foundation
Bob & Harvey Weinstein, Co-Founders and Co-Chairmen, The Weinstein Company
Devin Wenig, CEO, eBay
Tim Westergren, Founder and CEO, Pandora Media, Inc.
Mark Zuckerberg, Founder and CEO, Facebook

www.hrc.org/blog/leading-ceos-and-business-leaders-urge-north-carolina-to-repeal-discriminat?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

NEWS

Following grassroots petition, Greg Louganis makes the Wheaties box

Following grassroots petition, Greg Louganis makes the Wheaties box

Photo Credit: HBO

As first reported in the New York Times, a grassroots petition started at Change.org, created by Julie Sondgerath of Chicago, IL, and supported by GLAAD and The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, has led to Olympic champion Greg Louganis finally being recognized on the legendary Wheaties cereal box.

GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis responded to the news:

“By including a gay, HIV-positive Olympic hero on its iconic breakfast box, Wheaties is sending a powerful statement that living your authentic life is what champions are made of. GLAAD is proud to have been a part of this campaign to honor Greg Louganis and thanks the more than 40,000 people who joined this petition to support him.”

Wheaties Breakfast of ChampionsOlympic champion diver Greg Louganis is considered to be the best diver of all time. He has won four Olympic gold medals, and no one to date has ever beaten his diving records. But behind the scenes, he was bullied growing up … and on his Olympic team for being gay. Interestingly enough, unlike so many other other athletic champions, he never received the kinfd of endorsement deals that flowed to others and struggled financially because of it.

“It’s been nearly two decades since the U.S. has seen a decrease in the number of new HIV infections. Stigma around HIV is a key factor inhibiting progress. To see an HIV-positive man on a Wheaties box would be a tremendous stride in the stigma barrier that prevents so many Americans from getting tested and treated for HIV,” Joel Goldman, managing director of The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation told GLAAD, a partner in this initiative from the start. “But, the main reason to see Greg Louganis on a box of Wheaties is that he is undeniably the greatest diver of all time. Let’s #GetGregWheaties!”

After watching HBO’s documentary released last year, Back on Board: Greg Louganis, many across the country felt inspired to ask General Mills to right a wrong and put him on the Wheaties box. Today, we learned that General Mills will do just that.

In this interview last year, Louganis talked with GLAAD’s Claire Pires about the homophobia he experienced, living with HIV, and how he found a new passion working with Olympic hopefuls. The power of media cannot be underestimated.

 

In 1934, Wheaties began including pictures of winning athletes on its packaging with the slogan “The Breakfast of Champions,” and in 1958, began placing these pictures on the front of the cereal box. It has since included many hundreds of athletes from different sports.  Louganis wasn’t the first superstar athlete to wait on Wheaties. Muhammad Ali was not featured on the cover until 1999…a full 18 years after his last fight!

Today,  GLAAD celebrates Greg’s athletic achievements and his contributions towards accelerating acceptance of LGBT people…and those living with HIV.

 

April 4, 2016

www.glaad.org/blog/following-grassroots-petition-greg-louganis-makes-wheaties-box

NEWS

BREAKING: Mississippi Manufacturers Association Urges Governor Bryant to Veto Anti-LGBT HB 1523

BREAKING: Mississippi Manufacturers Association Urges Governor Bryant to Veto Anti-LGBT HB 1523

Today, HRC hailed the news that the Mississippi Manufacturers Association (MMA) has joined the growing list of businesses and organizations urging Governor Bryant to veto House Bill 1523 — a discriminatory bill that would allow individuals, religious organizations, and private associations to use religion as an excuse to discriminate against LGBT Mississippians in some of the most important aspect of their lives, including at work, at schools, in their family life, and more.

Jay C. Moon, President and CEO of the MMA spoke out against the legislation, saying: “It is clear that many of our members find that HB 1523 would violate their corporate policies expressly providing for an inclusive workplace environment that supports diversity. This is not a bill that the MMA supports and we hope that it will not find its way into law.”

At a rally earlier this evening where HRC President Chad Griffin and others spoke, HRC Mississippi, the ACLU of Mississippi, Southern Poverty Law Center, Planned Parenthood Southeast, and advocates from across Mississippi rallied outside the governor’s mansion urging Governor Bryant to veto HB 1523. HRC had earlier requested that the governor meet with LGBT Mississippians, but that call has gone unanswered — and today advocates were turned away from his office. HRC also requested that House Speaker Philip Gunn meet with the LGBT community prior to this afternoon’s final vote on the discriminatory bill, another request that was denied.

“HB 1523 is bad for Mississippians, bad for businesses and bad for the state’s economy. That’s why a growing chorus of citizens and companies across this state are calling on Governor Bryant to veto this discriminatory and deplorable bill which would put his own constituents at risk of harassment and discrimination,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “We urge Governor Bryant to make the right decision and stand on the right side of history by declaring there is no place for discrimination in Mississippi.”

Some of the state’s largest employers, including Nissan Group of North America, Tyson Food Inc, MGM Resorts International, and Toyota have already publicly voiced their opposition to the appalling legislation. National corporations such as AT&T, IBM, Levi Strauss & Co, MassMutual, General Electric, and Hyatt Hotel Corporations have also expressed their deep concerns about the discriminatory measure.

Yesterday, artists Lance Bass and Mary Elizabeth Ellis released a video calling on their fellow Mississippians to take action against HB 1523.  Just last week, the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi released a strongly worded statement condemning the discriminatory legislation: “The Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi stands as one with our brothers and sisters in the LGBT community and the Human Rights Campaign. We respect their painful journey as they have sought full inclusion in our society. Many of them share a Christian faith that is deep and profound. We should embrace their quest for equality and justice rather than placing obstacles in their pathway.”

Under HB 1523, religion could be used by individuals or organizations to justify discrimination against LGBT people, single mothers, unwed couples, and others. Tax-payer funded faith-based organizations could: refuse to recognize the marriages of same-sex couples for provision of critical services including emergency shelter; deny children in need of loving homes placement with LGBT families including the child’s own family member; and refuse to sell or rent a for-profit home to an LGBT person — even if the organization receives government funding. As introduced, HB 1523 would also give foster families the freedom to subject an LGBTQ child to the dangerous practice of “conversion therapy” or shame a pregnant unwed girl without fear of government intervention or license suspension. It would even allow individuals to refuse to carry out the terms of a state contract for the provision of counseling services to all eligible individuals, including veterans, based on the counselor’s beliefs about LGBT people or single mothers.

Furthermore, schools, employers, and service providers could refuse transgender people access to appropriate sex-segregated facilities consistent with their gender identity — all in direct conflict with the U.S. Department of Justice’s enforcement of federal law. HB 1523 even legalizes Kim Davis-style discrimination by allowing government employees to abdicate their duties and refuse to license or solemnize marriages for LGBT people.

www.hrc.org/blog/breaking-mississippi-manufacturers-association-urges-governor-bryant-to-vet?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

NEWS

RED ALERT: Despite Outcry from Businesses Community, Appalling Anti-LGBT Bill Heads to MS Gov’s Desk

RED ALERT: Despite Outcry from Businesses Community, Appalling Anti-LGBT Bill Heads to MS Gov’s Desk

Today, following the Mississippi State Legislature’s final vote to approval H.B. 1523, a measure opposed by some of the state’s largest employers, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Mississippi called on Governor Phil Bryant to veto this harmful legislation. Major corporations are among those urging Governor Bryant, House Speaker Philip A. Gunn and Lt. Governor Tate Reeves to stop to this discriminatory measure that would put the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community at risk of discrimination.
 

“We call on Gov. Bryant to veto this discriminatory and deplorable bill, that would put his own constituents at risk of harassment and discrimination where they work, in their schools and in their communities,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Gov. Bryant has a clear choice — and if he wants to lead his state forward, he should follow the example of Republican Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard, who understood that discrimination in any form is unacceptable.”

Nissan Group of North America, Tyson Food Inc, MGM Resorts International and Toyota, are publicly opposing the bill, which would allow individuals, religious organizations and private associations to use religion to discriminate against LGBT Mississippians, in some of the most important aspect of their lives, including at work, at schools, in their family life and more. National corporations, such as AT&T, IBM, Levi Strauss & Co, MassMutual, General Electric, and Hyatt Hotel Corporations, have also expressed deep reservations about the discriminatory measure.
 

Earlier today, HRC Mississippi joined advocates from the ACLU of Mississippi, Southern Poverty Law Center, and Planned Parenthood Southeast, in urging House Speaker Philip A. Gunn and Governor Bryant to put a stop to this terrible legislation.

Yesterday, artists Lance Bass and Mary Elizabeth Ellis released a video calling on their fellow Mississippians to take action against H.B. 1523, and last week, the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi released a strongly worded statement condemning the discriminatory legislation. It reads in part, “The Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi stands as one with our brothers and sisters in the LGBT community and the Human Rights Campaign. We respect their painful journey as they have sought full inclusion in our society. Many of them share a Christian faith that is deep and profound. We should embrace their quest for equality and justice rather than placing obstacles in their pathway. The Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi also released a statement calling a veto that read in part, “The Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi stands as one with our brothers and sisters in the LGBT community and the Human Rights Campaign. We respect their painful journey as they have sought full inclusion in our society. Many of them share a Christian faith that is deep and profound. We should embrace their quest for equality and justice rather than placing obstacles in their pathway.”

Under H.B. 1523, religion could be used by most any individual or organization to justify discrimination against LGBT people, single mothers, unwed couples and others. Tax-payer funded faith-based organizations could: refuse to recognize the marriages of same-sex couples for provision of critical services including emergency shelter; deny children in need of loving homes placement with LGBT families including the child’s own family member; and refuse to sell or rent a for-profit home to an LGBT person — even if the organization receives government funding. As introduced, H.B. 1523 would also give foster families the freedom to subject an LGBTQ child to the dangerous practice of “conversion therapy,” and shame a pregnant unwed girl, without fear of government intervention or license suspension. It would even allow individuals to refuse to carry out the terms of a state contract for the provision of counseling services to all eligible individuals, including veterans, based on the counselor’s beliefs about LGBT people or single mothers.

Furthermore, schools, employers and service providers could implement sex-specific dress and grooming standards, as well as refuse transgender people access to the appropriate sex-segregated facilities, consistent with their gender identity — all in conflict with the United States Department of Justice’s enforcement of federal law. H.B. 1523 even legalizes Kim Davis-style discrimination by allowing government employees to abdicate their duties and refuse to license or solemnize marriages for LGBT people.

The Mississippi Senate voted to advance H.B.1523 last week by a 31-17 vote, but the bill was sent back to the House for a procedural vote on a new amendment. The attacks on fairness and equality in Mississippi are part of an onslaught of anti-LGBT bills being pushed this year by anti-equality activists across the country. HRC is currently tracking nearly 200 anti-LGBT bills in 34 states. As of today, at least half of these bills have been beaten back around the country. For more information, visit: www.hrc.org/2016legislature. 

www.hrc.org/blog/red-alert-despite-outcry-from-businesses-community-appalling-anti-lgbt-bill?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

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