Official News Outlet for the Rainbow Round Table of the American Library Association
By John Mack Freeman An administrative judge has proposed a $135,000 fine for the suburban Portland, Oregon bakery who were refused service over two years ago. Via the Seattle Times: The judge, Alan McCullough, ruled in January that Sweet Cakes by Melissa discriminated against Laurel and Rachel Bowman-Cryer by refusing to bake them a wedding […]
By John Mack Freeman A new study shows that LGBT people of color are statistically much more likely to experience lifetime poverty than their non-LGBT or non-person of color counterparts. Paying an Unfair Price: The Financial Penalty for LGBT People of Color by the Movement Advancement Project shows that LGBT people of color are more likely […]
Via press release Since it was established in 1967, ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) has championed the rights of library users to seek and receive information on all subjects from all points of view without restriction and without having the subject of one’s interest examined or scrutinized by others. The new ninth edition of […]
By John Mack Freeman All New X-Men #40 was released this past Wednesday, and it revealed that original X-Men member Robert Drake, more commonly known as “Iceman,” is gay. Via Gay Star News: “The comic series centers around the five young original X-Men (Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman and Jean Grey) who time travel to the present […]
By Erin Berman Thank you for your continued support of ALA’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT)! Your membership has played a vital role in supporting the Round Table’s mission. Now more than ever we need to be visible, to promote that libraries are open to all, and to work to ensure that […]
Via press release Applications are open for the 2015 Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund Banned Books Week event grants, sponsored by the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF). Organizations are encouraged to apply for grants of $1,000 and/or $2,500 in support of activities celebrating Banned Books Week (Sept. 27–Oct. 3, 2015). Applications for the grants will […]
By John Mack Freeman Despite the rapid and widespread growth of support for LGBT causes in America, two books on ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom’s most frequently challenged books list are there (at least in part) due to homosexual content. Both are books that are perennially challenged and on the list: And Tango Makes Three (#3) […]
By John Mack Freeman Apple’s voice recognition program Siri learned Russian as part of an expanding effort to move its products worldwide. However, a video surfaced this week of a man trying to get Siri to respond to questions about gay bars and gay marriage with the application refusing to provide information or to process […]
By John Mack Freeman Guam Attorney General Elizabeth Barrett-Anderson ordered clerks in that territory to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples. This is the first United States territory to recognize and issue same sex marriage licenses. The order followed the territory being sued by a lesbian couple after their marriage license application was denied. […]
By John Mack Freeman (thanks to Nel for the tip!) Alaska Airlines has unveiled a new addition to their website focused on LGBT travel. The first push of the new initiative is to offer discounted airfare to cities during that cities Pride celebrations (and yes, San Francisco is on the list). Via Gay Star News: […]