Gill Action Fund Strategy Conference

The Gill Action Fund has invited leading LGBT political donors and campaign bundlers to design national action plans and fundraising strategies. But, once again, grassroots groups or activists are not invited. Please e-mail Sarah Vaughan (svaughan@gillaction.org) and tell her that we want grassroots groups to be represented at this national strategy conference, and that we want a singular demand for full-federal LGBT equality strategy.

Occupy NYC LGBT Center Video

Activists #Occupy the New York City LGBT Community Center to protest the censorship of the Palestinian LGBTQS solidarity group, Siegebusters.

Since March 2011, the NYC LGBT Community Center has banned Palestine solidarity activists (queer and non-LGBT) from meeting at the Center and imposed a "moratorium" on any discussion of the Palestinian struggle. This censorship, in response to pressure from wealthy supporters of Israel's anti-Palestinian policies, flies in the face of our community's commitment to diversity and offering safe space for discussion of "controversial" issues. Petitions, appeals to meet with the Center's board of directors, calls and letters have not succeeded in winning back our right to free speech and assembly.

Travis County Marriage Equality Sit-In

A sit-in took place on Valentine's Day at the Travis County Clerks Office for equal marriage rights while the Travis County Clerk looks on in support (woman in red suit). The three women, who engaged in the sit-in, were identified to be Brittney Tovar, left, Tiffani Bishop, center, and Iana Di Bona, right.



GetEqualTX along with the First Unitarian Church and the Occupy Austin OccuQueers staged a protest on February 14, 2012 at the Travis County Clerk's Office. Same-sex couples attempted to get marriage licenses, and then some got married outside.

Watch as the three GetEqual activists are arrested and lead away into police custody :



More and more, LGBT civil rights activists are organising into a mass, grassroots movement for equality.

GetEqualTX: http://www.getequaltx.org/
First Unitarian Church of Austin: http://austinuu.org/
Occupy Austin: http://occupyaustin.org/

Gay-Bashing Arrest In Atlanta Case

Progress being made in hate-crime investigation.

A few days after graphic footage of an Atlanta teenager being beat up by a gang went viral on the Internet, the victim came forward, and police arrested the first of three suspects.

From The Atlanta Journal-Constitution :

Atlanta Police arrested one of three suspects in the videotaped beating of a 20-year-old gay man in southwest Atlanta early Saturday, the same day the community held a rally to denounce rampant crime and violence.

Christopher Cain was taken into custody without incident around midnight in the DeKalb County portion of the city, police said. He was charged with aggravated assault and robbery and transported to the Fulton County Jail.

Police say they now have identified all three men who allegedly took part in the beating of the man, kicking and punching him while shouting anti-gay invectives.

Brandon White was attacked last Saturday in front of a corner market at 1029 McDaniel Street in the southwest Atlanta neighborhood of Pittsburgh by men identified as members of the 1029 Jack City Gang.

Video footage of the attack came to the attention of police and the FBI when it was posted online, and federal authorities are considering seeking federal hate crime charges against the suspects. ...

Police have not released the names or suspected whereabouts of the two other alleged assailants, but a $15,000 reward is offered for information leading to their capture and prosecution. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers Atlanta, 404-577-8477. ...

HRC Seeks Self-Dissolution ?

"HRC, your time is near ; fake inclusion won't work here."

Activists from the Queer/LGBTIQA2Z Occupy Wall Street, a caucus of activists affiliated with the Occupy Wall Street movement, protested outside a fancy and expensive gala "corporate event" sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign.

Activists accuse HRC of refusing to work for the benefit of the LGBT community, which HRC purports to represent. HRC also refuses to create a transparent process, activists allege, which would include participation and "inclusion" of grassroots groups in the LGBT equality movement

Nobody knows how much money HRC wasted to pay for the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel corporate function. Indeed, if it continues to use member donations to pay for corporate functions like this, some activists said that HRC will be forced to dissolve like some past social movement groups, which fizzle out.

Talk Is Cheap

On LGBT Civil Rights, New Leaders Emerge, But Not Where You Expect Them

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) is always claiming that her "potential opponents" in the upcoming #2012 election are always at her heels, and she touts this message in all of her fundraising e-mails. This was her message on December 28, 2011 : "I wish I didn’t have to bother you during the holidays, but I’m up against a critical deadline. My potential opponents will be announcing their plans early next year. That means it’s critical that we show how strong we are and make these challengers think twice about entering the race. My campaign has set a goal of raising $120,000 before our December 31 FEC deadline. We must not fall short."

Meanwhile, she is always claiming that it is her progressive legislative agenda that makes her a target of her "potential opponents." Back on October 25, 2009, Sen. Gillibrand gave an interview at the LGBT Community Center in New York City. In that interview, she said that she would support amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to make it illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity (see 7:30 at : Interview with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) - Towleroad.com), but Sen. Gillibrand has done nothing to fight for LGBT civil rights from this perspective.

Calling for a federal anti-discrimination law is not entirely new. In 1974, then Representatives Bella Abzug and Edward Koch introduced a bill entitled the Equality Act of 1974, which would have banned discrimination against lesbians, gay men, unmarried persons, and women in the realms of employment, housing, and public accommodation. The Equality Act was never passed upon its first introduction. In subsequent Congressional sessions, attempts were made to reïntroduce and pass LGBT civil rights bills. Even with new sponsorship, those bills did not pass. Almost 40 years later, a new grassroots movement is forming to make a renewed push for full federal equality for LGBT Americans.

And until the New York Congressional delegation finds the courage to do what was attempted almost 40 years ago, we have now a new crop of leaders in Brad Hoylman and Lois Rakoff, who are helping to build a grass-roots movement for full, federal LGBT equality.

2011-11-18 CB2 Manhattan LGBT Civil Rights Resolution

The Manhattan Community Board 2 Resolution is the first such resolution known to be passed by a New York governmental body. Earlier in this year, LGBT civil rights activist Richard Noble approached the City of West Hollywood for a resolution in support of a concept bill known as the American Equality Bill, which is being touted as an omnibus federal bill that would largely end federal discrimination based on "sexual orientation" and "gender identity." In response to Mr. Noble's efforts, the City of West Hollywood adopted a resolution in support of the American Equality Bill.

2011-03-07 City West Hollywood Resolution Agenda (LGBT Civil Rights - American Equality Bill)

And here is another proclamation, which Mr. Noble received from Mayor Jean Quan from Oakland :

Oakland Proclamation for LGBT Civil Rights (American Equality Bill)

Mr. Noble has generated more letters, resolutions, and proclamations in support of a federal omnibus bill to codify LGBT civil rights.

Once the larger LGBT equality movement discovers that it is possible to begin to set a vision for what full, federal LGBT equality looks like, more people will begin to add to the growing grassroots movement -- and will create a mass movement for an omnibus federal civil rights law. And nobody will be accepting of empty rhetoric, such as expressed by Sen. Gillibrand in this 2009 interview wherein she expressed support for LGBT civil rights. Note how Sen. Gillibrand has spent over two years doing nothing about filing a federal bill in Congress, even though almost 40 years ago Bella Abzug and Ed Koch had the courage to file a bill to end federal discrimination.

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama, who is still "evolving" on the issue of marriage equality, is setting a cowardly tone for our Democratic Party leaders, because President Obama doesn't want to be a public champion for full, federal LGBT equality, and, in essence, he is hiding in the closet, while his surrogates do the heavy lifting. Politicians, who lack the courage to display bold leadership like that was displayed by Bella Abzug and Ed Koch almost 40 years ago, are not doing the LGBT equality movement any favours.

Jonah Mowry Bullied YouTube Video

Teen Makes Emotional YouTube Video About School Bullying

Set to the song "Breathe Me" by the artist Sia, the teen filmed himself holding up index cards with the story being tormented by bullies. "I'm tired of being torn down," wrote the teen identified as Jonah Mowry.

Title VI LGBT Protections

This internal memorandum from the U.S. Department of Justice shows the "the huge scope of Title VI's protections and enforcement afforded 'race, color, and national origin' in a coordinated government effort to root out discrimination in America," as one activist put it. Why can't these same civil rights be afforded to LGBT Americans ?
2010-08-19 DOJ Civil Rights Act Title VI Enforcement - LGBT Civil Rights

Lady Gaga Obama Bullying

Lady Gaga Wants to Meet With Obama Over Bullying

From the Associated Press (via The New York Times) :

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lady Gaga wants to meet with President Barack Obama about her concerns over bullying.

Gaga expressed sadness over Twitter Wednesday about the suicide death of a 14-year-old New York boy who had complained in an online video about being bullied over his sexuality.

The pop singer tweeted to her 13.7 million followers: "I am meeting with our President. I will not stop fighting. This must end."

A Democratic official said Gaga plans to attend an Obama fundraiser next week on the West Coast but no private meeting has been scheduled. The official spoke on condition of anonymity and was not authorized to speak publicly about the fundraiser.

In videos, Jamey Rodemeyer described being taunted in his school hallways and receiving hateful messages online before his suicide death Sunday outside his home in Williamsville, N.Y. The video was part of the "It Gets Better Project," which is meant to give hope to gay teens.

In his blog, Rodemeyer referred to himself as gay and made frequent references to suicide and to his idol, Lady Gaga, who often sings about acceptance of gays and lesbians.

Rodemeyer's parents said the boy had been bullied for years but appeared to be doing better since beginning high school a few weeks ago.

Police are investigating whether criminal charges should be filed in the case. New York state doesn't have an anti-bullying law but authorities have said bullies could be charged with harassment or aggravated harassment.

The White House held a conference on bullying prevention in March to discuss bullying, estimating that it affects 13 million students, or about a third of those attending school. Obama said then he hoped to "dispel the myth that bullying is just a harmless rite of passage or an inevitable part of growing up. It's not."

Kirsten Gillibrand Product Endorsement

Has Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand become a paid political spokesperson for Verizon Wireless ? One of her recent e-mails bore the Verizon Wireless Blackberry footer. Is this an example of regulatory capture ?

Kristen Gillibrand - Verizon Blackberry Advertising