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#AM_Equality Tip Sheet: July 21, 2016
TONIGHT AT THE RNC: DON’S NEXT CON: If last night was any indication, watch for Donald Trump to try to (falsely) rebrand himself as an ally to the LGBTQ community. Here’s the reality — Trump opposes marriage equality; endorses Kim Davis-style discrimination; defends vile laws like HB2 in North Carolina; will appoint an anti-LGBTQ Supreme Court justice; campaigns with leaders of hate groups; and spews hatred toward anybody he considers different. Trump’s decision to put an anti-equality candidate like Mike Pence on the ticket only confirms what a disaster he would be for the community and what a grave threat the Trump-Pence ticket poses to LGBTQ equality.
- As Pence accepted the VEEP nomination, The Daily Beast noted that his support for so-called “conversion therapy” means that “for the first time in our presidential history, a major party candidate and a major party support child abuse, even child torture, as part of their platform.”
- A new survey illustrates how out of step the Republican Party is with its own members – only 37 percent want a presidential candidate who opposes marriage equality.
- In an editorial titled “GOP’s Anti-LGBTQ Platform Will Make America Less Great Again,” the NJ.com editorial board rips the GOP for disregarding the power of the LGBTQ vote; Gawker puts the platform in context with the party’s history.
- Television star Montel Williams blasted the GOP on CNN yesterday for shutting out minorities, including members of the LGBTQ community. More from Media Matters.
DUKE AND NC STATE HOOPS COACHES DENOUNCE DISCRIMINATORY HB2 AS EMBARRASSING, APPALLING: Legendary Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, who is taking the men’s U.S. Olympic basketball team to Brazil, and NC State coach Mark Gottfried are strongly condemning NC Gov. Pat McCrory’s discriminatory HB2 law as embarrassing, frustrating and appalling. Krzyzewski’s Duke Blue Devils recently had to adjust their schedule when the University of Albany team backed out of a game in NC because of HB2. “I’m against any law that allows discrimination, whether that’s based on race, gender, sexual orientation,” Gottfried told USA TODAY Sports. “I don’t understand how someone can support this.” Said Krzyzewski: “It’s an embarrassing bill.” Read more here.
POWERFUL VIDEO FEATURES PROUD DADS OF TRANSGENDER CHILDREN: The HRC Foundation released a first-of-its-kind web video exclusively featuring fathers of transgender children describing their experiences. The video highlights the fear and hurt their families face due to anti-transgender prejudice and policies. In an emotional op-ed in TIME Magazine, one of the fathers, Wayne Maines, writes about his recent decision to leave the Republican Party due to its anti-trans positions, “I worry because […] some Republican politicians have decided that it’s good politics to target a vulnerable group of people that includes my daughter.” Watch the Dads for Transgender Equality video here.
OUTRAGEOUS — SCHOOL DISTRICT ALLEGEDLY FORCED TRANS STUDENT TO WEAR GREEN BRACELET: A transgender boy in Wisconsin has filed a federal lawsuit against the Kenosha Unified School District for denying him access to the boys restroom. School staff and security were instructed to prevent the student from using the boys restroom. The suit alleges that the district also proposed he and other transgender students to wear green bracelets identifying them as transgender. This gross violation of rights goes against the Departments of Education and Justice’s guidance directing public schools to allow transgender students to use facilities that correspond with their gender identity. “Everything about this is troubling,” HRC President Chad Griffin tweeted. “Trans students should be supported, not targeted & mistreated, in our schools.” More from WISN.
- Meanwhile in Maryland: A transgender boy has also filed a federal lawsuit asserting that he’s not able to join the school soccer team because school officials are preventing him from using the boys locker room. More from ThinkProgress.
HRC MOURNS US REP. MARK TAKAI, D-HI: HRC President Chad Griffin: “[We are] saddened to learn of the death of Rep. Mark Takai, a champion of LGBTQ equality. Our hearts go out to his family.” Takai, 49, a first-term Member of Congress, died after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He leaves behind his wife, Sami Takai, their children Matthew, 14, and Kaila, 13, and parents Erik and Naomi.
ELTON JOHN PLEDGES MILLIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL FIGHT AGAINST AIDS: At the 21st International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa, Elton John announced that the Elton John AIDS Foundation has joined the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to create a $10 million AIDS fund to provide relief for LGBTQ people living under homophobic regimes. Recipients of the fund’s first grants are the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, and the Global Forum on MSM & HIV. Read more here.
PENTAGON DETAILS RULES FOR TRANS MILITARY PERSONNEL: The Pentagon has issued new protocol for service members undergoing transition-related care. More from Military.com.
LGBTQ SPENDING POWER NEARS $1 TRILLION: New analysis shows that LGBTQ Americans have the estimated purchasing power of $917 billion, according to the LGBTQ marketing agency Witeck Communications. More from Bloomberg.
READING RAINBOW
NBC News reports how Third Eye Blind trolled the RNC to speak out on LGBTQ rights; HRC shares LGBTQ-inclusive children’s books; National Catholic Reporter meets the first openly-LGBTQ United Methodist bishop; Queerty points out seven anti-LGBTQ moments from vice presidential nominee Mike Pence; Advocate flies into Comic-Con 2016 with an official LGBTQ guide; Campus Reform introduces the second annual summit for LGBTQ seniors, “Gay and Gray”; Variety announces that the Nickelodeon show “Loud House” will feature a married same-sex couple; and The Tennessean chronicles how the Nashville Fire Department swiftly took action when a fire EMS chief spread anti-LGBTQ hatred.
Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to A.M. Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!
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