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#AM_Equality Tip Sheet: September 21, 2016
GOVERNOR MCCRORY HAS SOME NERVE… writes The New York Times’ editorial board this morning. The board called out Governor McCrory for his lies and cheap trick “resets” and encouraged him to come to his senses, admit blame and repeal the disastrous law. The piece also called out the true intention of HB2, “to harm and humiliate LGBT citizens,” and the true motives behind McCrory’s desperate ploy — he is failing in the polls for his re-election bid.
GOV MCCRORY DOES WHAT HE DOES BEST — PLAYING THE BLAME GAME: Yesterday, North Carolina Pat McCrory made boldly false remarks at a Rotary Club meeting in Charlotte — lying to his constituents and once again placing the blame for his disastrous anti-transgender law on just about anybody but the person who signed the law in the dead of night (himself). He attacked HRC publicly and has continued to falsely characterize a meeting earlier this year with HRC President Chad Griffin, Equality North Carolina Executive Director Chris Sgro and community advocate Candis Cox. McCrory — who refused to allow cameras into the meeting earlier this year with Griffin, Sgro and Cox — has made ever-evolving statements about what occurred at this meeting over the last six months. But, speaking to the Rotary Club in Charlotte, N.C., today, Governor McCrory offered an entirely fictional account of the meeting and HRC President Chad Griffin’s remarks. More from the Charlotte Observer and HRC.
- Roy Cooper calls out McCrory on his rotten deal: At an event yesterday, Cooper said that McCrory has blamed him, “the president, the city of Charlotte, the liberal media and Bruce Springsteen” for the discriminatory law that the North Carolina General Assembly passed and that Governor McCrory signed. More from The Charlotte Observer.
- North Carolinians aren’t buying McCrory’s snake oil: A new poll from Elon University shows that a majority of people believe North Carolina’s reputation is worse off since HB2 passed.
LGBTQ RIGHTS ARE AN ASSET — NOT A LIABILITY — IN THIS ELECTION: The landscape for LGBTQ rights in changing — and anti-equality villains can no longer hide behind their discriminatory views, so writes Susan Milligan (@MilliganSusan) for U.S. News & World Report. In the presidential race as well as state races like North Carolina’s gubernatorial race, candidates are getting slammed in the polls when their platforms include pulling the carpet out from under the feet of LGBTQ rights. Jay Brown, HRC Communications Director (@JayBrownHRC) told Milligan, “Unlike in any other presidential election, it’s a liability to be anti-gay.” And this makes sense — turnout among LGBTQ voters is reliably high. Based on exit polling in the 2012 presidential election, 81 percent of eligible LGB voters nationally cast a ballot, compared to just 58 percent of all eligible voters. In total, roughly 6 million LGB voters cast a ballot in 2012 — an election President Obama won by just under 5 million votes. In key swing states like North Carolina, Florida, Nevada and Ohio, the number of LGBTQ adults is greater than the average margin of victory in the last three presidential elections. More from U.S. News & World Report.
- This point in action: Republican South Dakota Governor Daugaard, who vetoed a dangerous anti-transgender law earlier this year, tops a national poll for highest approval rating among U.S. governors.
OUT OF THE SHADOWS: DADT’S REPEAL FIVE YEARS LATER: Between 2009 and 2011, American artist Jeff Sheng photographed about 80 LGBT service members in the U.S. military who could not show their faces due to DADT. His photographic work is a powerful statement of the pain inflicted on servicemembers and military families because of this archaic policy. In 2014, Jeff began revisiting many of these service members to follow up about their experiences since DADT’s repeal, and to photograph them now with their faces showing. Yesterday, HRC worked with Jeff on a sneak peak of his work in our Instagram series, “Out of the Shadows: DADT’s Repeal 5 Years Later.”
2/5 – �� cred: @jeffsheng . #OutOfTheShadows: DADT’s Repeal Five Years Later . Today marks the five year anniversary of the full implementation of the repeal of “#DontAskDontTell.” Repeal of the law closed a dark and discriminatory chapter of American history that required gay, lesbian, and bisexual servicemembers to be dishonest about who they are in order to serve the country they love. . Between 2009 and 2011, American artist, Jeff Sheng photographed about 80 LGBT service members in the US military who could not show their faces as out and proud individuals due to #DADT. His photographic work is a powerful statement of the pain inflicted on servicemembers and military families because of this discriminatory policy. . In 2014, Jeff began revisiting many of these servicemembers to follow up about their experiences since DADT’s repeal, and to photograph them now with their faces showing. On today’s anniversary HRC has worked with Jeff on a sneak peak of his work in our Instagram series, “Out of the Shadows: DADT’s Repeal 5 Years Later.” . “While the work in still in progress, I wanted to share some of these images now on the 5-year anniversary of the repeal of DADT, to visually show the kind of progress we have made as a society. It’s unimaginable now to think that just over 5 years ago, these brave service members were not allowed to to show who they are, but today can be recognized fully and celebrated as the heroes that they truly are.” – Jeff Sheng . DADT’s repeal five years ago marked a new chapter in American history. It meant that gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans eager to serve, but unwilling to compromise who they are as individuals, could now do so without having to live dishonestly. . Thanks to the repeal of DADT, and the recent end to outdated policies that prevented transgender people from serving, the LGBTQ community is finally able to openly and proudly serve our nation. As we celebrate five years of a wrong made right, our we must recommit to the fight for the expansion of rights and protections for LGBTQ people everywhere. . Read more at: HRC.im/OutoftheShadows
A video posted by Human Rights Campaign (@humanrightscampaign) on
SENATOR BILL NELSON SIGNS ONTO THE EQUALITY ACT: Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) has signed onto the Equality Act, which provides basic protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, access to public spaces, housing, education, jury service, credit and federal funding. He is the 43rd senator to do so. Senator Nelson earned a 90 percent on HRC’s Congressional Scorecard for the 113th Congress. More from The Washington Blade.
WHAT WE’RE READING WEDNESDAY: Kenny Cooley is a regular teenager who wanted to play on his school’s football team — and this trans teen found the love and support of a team after transferring schools. Read about Cooley’s powerful journey in The Washington Post.
Grade 12 student Kenny Cooley played in his first varsity football game as a receiver with @HalifaxWestHS on Monday. pic.twitter.com/nV9xWRFoUC
— Allan April (@AllanAprilCTV) September 14, 2016
WH HOSTS MEETING ON LGBTQ PEOPLE AND PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV IN US CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Yesterday, the White House hosted 150 formerly incarcerated LGBTQ people, policymakers and advocates to discuss unique challenges faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people and people living with HIV in the criminal legal system. Formerly incarcerated individuals in attendance joined legal, advocacy and Administration leaders in discussions on discriminatory policing and other factors driving LGBTQ people into the criminal legal system such as HIV criminalization, youth homelessness, and high rates of poverty and discrimination against LGBTQ people, as well as conditions of confinement in federal prison, and HIV and health issues.
85% of #LGBTQ youth in #juvenilejustice are youth of color. Today, the @WhiteHouse will meet with advocates to talk about change. #LGBTCrimJ
— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) September 20, 2016
FEDS GUARANTEE EQUAL ACCESS TO MANY HOMELESS SHELTERS FOR TRANS PEOPLE: Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a final rule ensuring equal access to many federally funded homeless shelters based on gender identity. The rule requires that shelters admit, house, and serve all individuals in accordance with their gender identity, including transgender people. Today’s final rule builds off of nondiscrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity issued by HUD in 2012. More from HRC.
EXPORT OF HATE — DENIED: American Pastor Steven Anderson of the Faithful Word Baptist Church said he believes the government of Botswana should kill lesbians and gays while doing a radio interview on Tuesday during a trip to Botswana. President Ian Khama of Botswana then ordered the arrest and deportation of Anderson and denounced the pastor’s hate speech, according to Reuters. President Khama said Anderson was on a visa watch list but had managed to slip into the country before border posts were alerted. More from The Washington Blade.
- Trouble on the horizon: Brian Brown, the new president of the World Congress of Families (WCF), another SPLC-designated hate group, will be attending an anti-marriage equality march in Mexico City over the weekend. More from The Advocate.
American anti-LGBTQ extremists exporting their hate abroad. Such vile bigotry has no place here or around the world. t.co/czC5Yjew3e
— Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) September 20, 2016
READING RAINBOW
The Reflector talks about the need for LGBTQ-affirming churches in the South… HRC shares five resources on bisexual health for #BiWeek… The Calvert Journal reports that Russia has banned a LGBTQ news site… Harper’s Bazaar India will feature two transgender models in a nine-cover series, a first for any Harper’s Bazaar… The Huffington Post shares an Australian MP’s emotional reaction to hearing from LGBTQ children…
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!
www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tip-sheet-september-21-2016?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed
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