Gay Rights // Current

added
54 minutes ago

55,087 Signatures Threaten to Delete Maine's Marriage Equality

In a great move for companies Montblanc and Dunder Mifflin, opponents to the passage of Maine's same-sex marriage law have... more

UrbanGypsy
added this

0 responses

added
8 hours ago

Rockstar Boycott Brought to an End, Disavows Savage, Supports Equality with $100K Donation

Today the blog Bilerico Project, The Trevor Project a suicide prevention non-profit, The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada, Change.org, and Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network issued a joint press release along with Rockstar Energy Drink. The statement issued included the announcement of a donation to the organizations listed totaling one hundred thousand dollars and changes to Rockstar's company policy to extend equal benefits to same sex partners and sensitivity training for its relatively small staff of 120.

The Nevada Based Company has come under fire of late because of connections made by the gay community, to controversial ultra-conservative radio personality Michael Savage, who has said many insulting things about communitites of color, the LGBT community, immigrants, Muslims and the disabled. Savage is the father of the CEO Russel Weiner and is married to the CFO of Rockstar Energy Drink, he is also credited with formulating the drink, although not financially tied to the company directly. Weiner and Savage also co-founded the Paul Revere Society, an organization advocating for the deportation of "all Foreign Nationals who have bypassed a 'Criminal background check', our military and/or National Guard Units on our borders pending establishment of an automated detection system, Require a LOYALTY OATH of all immigrants." All though the website for the society has been removed it continues to exist.

Weiner is quoted in the press release saying:
"Some have erroneously associated our company with offensive language directed at LGBT people, specifically statements coming from Michael Savage, who is not and has never been a shareholder or officer of ROCKSTAR Energy Drink. On behalf of our company and directors, including myself and CFO Janet Weiner, I would like to take this opportunity to disavow any offensive statements directed toward LGBT people, including statements from Michael Savage. ROCKSTAR assures our customers and the general public that our brand will never be associated with any language that does not affirm the essential dignity of every person in our diverse national community."

Initial things were very tense between the online community and Rockstar. Before talks began, Rockstar issued Cease and Desist letters to Facebook causing several groups on the social network supporting the boycott to be shuttered, as well as accounts suspended, and it sent the same letters threatening many blogs that supported the boycott not on facebook, Including Bilerco.

More behind the link.Today the blog Bilerico Project, The Trevor Project a suicide prevention non-profit, The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of... more

parisinla
added this

0 responses

added
8 hours ago

As We See It: From Elephant Sex to Very Lesbian Bradys | The Omnipotent Poobah Speaks!

As We See It: A politically incorrect look at the big issues of the day.

omnipotentpoobah
added this

0 responses

added
16 hours ago

New Hampshire Passes Law Forcing Old People To Watch Gays Marry

Less than two weeks after legalizing gay marriage in the state, New Hampshire legislators enacted a new law Tuesday making it... more

knightmonkey
added this

0 responses

added
1 day ago

The Looney Awards: The Trifecta of God’s Chosen Few | The Omnipotent Poobah Speaks!

This week's Looney Awards go to Rev. Wiley Drake, who prayed for God to smite Barack Obama; OK State Rep. Sally Kern who... more

omnipotentpoobah
added this

0 responses

added
1 day ago

Massachusetts sues US over gay marriage

Massachusetts filed a lawsuit against the United States over defense of marriage act (DOMA) which defines a marriage as between a... more

uroborus8
added this

0 responses

added
1 day ago

Legalising homosexual acts is illegal and unnatural: Muslim law board

BHOPAL: The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Wednesday termed the Delhi High Court's verdict decriminalising... more

conservativelyliberal
added this

0 responses

added
4 days ago

Family Says Military Death is Hate Crime Against Gays

A Beaumont woman has claimed that her nephew, who was a sailor stationed at Camp Pendleton, California, was a hate crime victim.... more

Apocalipstick
added this

6 responses

added
7 days ago

Ireland grants rights to same-sex partnerships

Ireland recognized the legal rights of same-sex couples for the first time Friday (26/6/2009) in a civil partnership bill that... more

Blikes
added this

0 responses

added
8 days ago

Exposed: Urban Outfitters – Do you REALLY know?

When you shop at Urban Outfitters, Free People, or Anthropologie, do you know where your money is really going? Richard Haynes,... more

sgwhites
added this

4 responses

added
8 days ago

2009 San Francisco Gay Pride Parade

On Sunday (06-28-09) was the 36th Annual San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade. The gay community gathered on a joyful march along... more

ccdvproductions
added this

7 responses

added
9 days ago

Fairness Works, The American Dream-in

Fairness does work. Unfortunately millions are not protected from unfair job termination because of sexual orientation or gender... more

uroborus8
added this

1 response

added
9 days ago

Army Board recommends discharge of gay officer

A military board recommended Tuesday that Lt. Dan Choi be dismissed from the New York National Guard because he is openly gay.... more

retro_Syl
added this

56 responses

added
9 days ago

Everybody's got the RIGHT to LOVE - Same Sex Marriage

I met my first boyfriend while this song was on the charts. The Supremes without Ross, Wow, harmonies again! History is on our... more

BluePride
added this

1 response

added
9 days ago

Judge likely won't grant Prop. 8 injunction, but wants a prompt decision

A federal judge in San Francisco said Tuesday that he is disinclined to suspend California's voter-approved ban on same-sex... more

WakeUpPeople
added this

1 response

added
9 days ago

Gay Bashing in New York

Joe Holliday was jumped by several men who attacked him and called him faggot according to witnesses. The suspects are still at... more

uroborus8
added this

9 responses

added
10 days ago

Obama pledges to move on gay-rights agenda

President Barack Obama, under fire from the gay-rights community over slow action on its priorities, promised to deliver by the time he leaves office.

The president gave no new details about how he would advance these issues, but he made passionate remarks saluting the pioneers of the gay-rights movement and expressed solidarity with those working for equal rights.

"Welcome to your White House," the president said at a reception Monday to mark the 40th anniversary of the birth of the modern gay-rights movement. His remarks were greeted warmly by a cheering crowd of some 250 gay and lesbian activists and supporters.

As a presidential candidate, Mr. Obama vowed to overturn the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which prohibits openly gay men and women from serving, and to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which allows states to ignore same-sex marriages performed in other states and bars the federal government from granting marriage benefits to people in same-sex unions.

The Obama administration has said it will take congressional action to address both issues. But, aware of both the complex politics involved and its full agenda, the White House has done little so far to prod lawmakers along.

Many in the gay-rights community were also angered by the tone of an administration legal brief defending the Defense of Marriage Act.

Earlier this month, Mr. Obama offered a small step, promising to extend certain benefits available to same-sex partners of federal workers. But critics dismissed the move as amounting to little in practice.

The president appeared mindful of these criticisms when he stepped to the front of the East Room on Monday.

"It's not for me to tell you to be patient," he said, comparing the gay activists' struggle to that of African-Americans in the civil rights movement. "I expect and hope to be judged not by words...but by the promises that my administration keeps."

He added that by the time his presidency is over, "I think you guys will have pretty good feelings about the Obama administration."

Mr. Obama said he had asked the secretary of defense and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to develop a plan to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. He reiterated his pledge to try to reverse the Defense of Marriage Act and said he would work for legislation aimed at preventing workplace discrimination, extending the federal hate-crime law to acts against gays and lesbians, and giving domestic partners of federal workers health and other benefits.

And he said he was committed to repealing rules that prohibit people with HIV from traveling into the U.S.

Joe Solomonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, a leading gay rights group, was at the event and said afterward that he appreciated the president's strong words. But he added: "It is the actions to advance equality -- not simply the words -- that will be the true marker by which this White House will be judged."President Barack Obama, under fire from the gay-rights community over slow action on its priorities, promised to deliver by the... more