DoJ Extends Justice Rights to LGBT Community

Last fall a Kentucky court ruled Geneva Case, 49, must testify against her partner, 37-year-old Bobbi Jo Clary, in a murder case. The lesbians were legally joined in a civil union in Vermont, but Kentucky does not recognize same-sex marriage. Last month, Clay pled guilty and was sentenced to 40 years in prison although she […]

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Archbishop of Canterbury Asks Churches to Respect LGBT While Problems Remain in Other Countries

In a public letter addressed to all Primates of the Anglican Communion and the presidents of Nigeria and Uganda, Archbishop of Canterbury Joseph Welby called for “pastoral care for all” regardless of a person’s sexual orientation. This letter, co-authored by the Archbishop of York, comes not long before Welby is to spend five days in […]

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Groups Releases Study about Suicide by Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming Adults

A new report from The Williams Institute and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, “Suicide Attempts among Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Adults,” compiles findings from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. Forty-one percent of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals attempt suicide, compared to 4.6 percent of the general population and 10 to 20 percent of the […]

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First Active College Football Player Comes Out

Connor Mertens, an 18 year-old kicker at Willamette University in Oregon, made history when he came out as bisexual to his coach and then the world while still an active player. Mertens has received broad support for his actions, including widespread support from his coaches, his team’s leadership council, and the team itself. This past […]

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Band Fun. Campaigns to Raise $250,000 for Detroit LGBT Youth Center

The Grammy award-winning band fun. has launched a campaign to raise $250,000 to build a community health center for the Ruth Ellis Cente, which provides housing, meals, clothing and medical services for LGBT youth in need in Detroit (MI). Funds will be raised through its LGBT support organization, The Ally Coalition (TAC). Band members are […]

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Trans Student Scores Significant Victory in Maine Discrimination Case

Nicole Maines, a transgender girl from Maine, recently won a long fought court battle against the school system she had attended. The Maine High Court ruled that denying Maines the right to use school facilities set aside for female use violated her rights under the Maine Human Rights Act.  The case Doe v. Clenchy, so […]

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New Prison Rules Take Consider Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity for Safety

Harrison County Jail in Houston, Texas is revamping the way that it assigns inmates housing, and this change has ramifications for the LGBT community. The changes, coming in response to a law signed by President George W. Bush called the Federal Rape Elimination Act, seek to eliminate rape in all local, state, and federal lockups. […]

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9th Circuit Court Mandates ‘Heightened Scrutiny’ for LGBT Rights’ Cases

Although most of the LGBT rights’ cases recently have been on the subject of marriage, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has issued a ruling that may have far more reaching results in forwarding equality for the LGBT population. Last summer’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning part of DOMA in Windsor v. United States clarified […]

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“Safe in the Stacks” Program To Be Presented At National Conference on LGBT Equality

Jama Shelton (Forty to None) and Julie Winkelstein (postdoctoral researcher on an IMLS grant) are presenting their program from last summer, “Safe in the Stacks: Community Spaces for Serving Homeless LGBTQ Youth,” at the 26th National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change. Located in Houston (TX) at the Hilton of the Americas, the conference features […]

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U.S. Schools Celebrate 10th Anniversary of GLSEN’s No Name-Calling Week

The past week, thousands of schools emphasized kindness and compassion as a method to stop bullying. James Howe’s The Misfitsinspired this event. The young adult novel tells about four students who decided to run for student council to create a No Name-Calling Day at school after suffering from this bullying behavior. Since its inception in 2004, […]

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