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LGBT STUDENTS TO MEET LT. GOVERNOR, THANK SUPPORTIVE LEGISLATORS
Dozens of LGBT and straight allied students will meet with Lt. Governor Patty Judge and supportive legislators during Iowa Pride Network's Fifth Annual Student Day at Capitol being held today. The day is meant to encourage students to be civically engaged and politically aware.
The event comes at an important time. In early February, House Representatives Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig and Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley, co-sponsored legislation which sought to exclude LGBT students from the 2007 Safe Schools Law. The legislation died in the House Education Committee.
"While that piece of anti-gay legislation is dead, we hope that our time at the Capitol will serve as a reminder that every student has a right to a safe school and that all students deserve to be treated with respect-not just from their peers, but from their legislators at the statehouse," stated Emily Frerichs, a senior at the University of Iowa and Iowa Pride Network Board Member.
"We also want to thank legislators who have stood by us and show we appreciate them," said Sara Puffer, a senior at Cedar Rapids Linn-Mar High School and also a board member for Iowa Pride Network. Puffer described how personalized thank-you cards will be given out and a legislative reception will be held in the afternoon.
Students attending the Day at the Capitol hail from numerous Iowa cities, colleges and high schools:
21 Cities: Altoona, Ames, Burlington, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Cumming, Des Moines, Forest City, Grinnell, Iowa City, Marion, Omaha, NE, Pella, Pleasant Hill, Red Oak, Runnells, Lamoni, Sioux City, Urbandale, Waterloo, and Waverly
9 Colleges: Central College, Drake University, Grinnell College, Iowa State University, Mercy College of Health Sciences, Morningside College, University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa, Waldorf College
15 High Schools: Burlington High School, Cedar Falls High School, Central Academy, East High School (Des Moines), Hinton High School (Sioux City), Hoover High School (Des Moines), Cedar Rapids Linn-Mar High School, Millard South High School (Omaha, NE), North High School (Sioux City), Red Oak High School, Southeast Polk High School, Walnut Creek High School, Waverly-Shell Rock High School, Iowa City West High School, Sioux City West High School [3/3/10]
LAWSUIT CLAIMS ILLINOIS CLINIC LEAKED HIV INFORMATION
Patients of a clinic in the Chicago area have filed a class action lawsuit claiming that confidential information, including their HIV status, was inappropriately shared on computer networks, the Kane County Chronicle reports. > Full Story. [3/3/10]
PRIDEFEST TO ANNOUNCE TWO MORE HEADLINERS
The Organizers of PrideFest are all set this week to announce their Saturday and Sunday Headliners on the Miller Lite Mainstage. Comedianne Kathy Griffin was recently announced as the 2010 Opening Headliner on June 11th. This week, PrideFest will blow you away with their back to back headliner announcements!! > Full Story. [3/2/10]
'HISTORIC’ HEARING ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN MINNESOTA
Three bills will be up for discussion on Monday, and all three are supportive of expanded relationship rights for Minnesota's same-sex couples. > Full Story. [2/19/10]
GAY DIVORCE CASE DRAWS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S ATTENTION
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has intervened in a first-of-its-kind Travis County same-sex divorce case, arguing that the women involved, who were married in another state, may not be legally granted a divorce because Texas law defines marriage as between a man and a woman. > Full Story. [2/16/10]
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE ADVOCATES RALLY AT THE MN STATE CAPITOL
A couple of hours before their biggest Minnesota opponent made his annual address to the state, same-sex marriage advocates rallied at the Capitol Thursday. > Full Story. [2/12/10]
IOWA HOUSE REPUBLICANS SEEK TO BULLY GAY STUDENTS
Two Iowa GOP State Representatives, Jason Schultz, and Matt Windschitl, this week, co-sponsored legislation which seeks to remove LGBT students from the 2007 Iowa Safe Schools Law that protects students from harassment and bullying in Iowa's schools and the measure has been referred to the Iowa House Education Committee for consideration Sexual Orientation and Gender identity are currently covered under the Safe Schools Law, but the bill introduced by Schultz, and Windschitl would strike those protections... > Full Story. [2/8/10]
MIDWEST'S LARGEST LGBT PRIDEFESTIVAL OPENS JUNE 11; SEEKING VOLUNTEERS
MILWAUKEE, WI - Summer in Milwaukee will once again shine brighter, as the 23rd annual PrideFest celebration kicks off on the Summerfest grounds this June 11-13. For the second year in a row, organizers have chosen the second weekend in June to celebrate. Another new development is the change to the hours of operation. Festival attendees can now enjoy an earlier start time, as the gates open at 3pm on Friday June 11th.
The Saturday and Sunday schedules begin at 12pm, opening one hour later than in previous years. On all three nights, festival goers can enjoy entertainment, activities and celebration until midnight, when festival grounds close.
Pridefest organizers are also seeking dedicated individuals and organizations to donate thier time and energy as volunteers on the grounds.
"We will be accepting applications online up until the week of Pridefest," says Volunteer Director Deon Young. "We want to make sure that we have the volunteers we need to make PrideFest Milwaukee 2010 a success!"
PrideFest is a non-profit organization that relies on the energy and ideas of a dedicated team of volunteers. As the biggest LGBT event in Wisconsin and one of the nation's premier Pride festivals, PrideFest seeks volunteers with a wide range of skills.
Applications can be found online at http://www.pridefest.com/volunteer/index.php.
> Full Story. [2/4/10]
WHY IS OK REP. JASON NELSON CHANGING JUST 1 WORD OF A LAW BANNING...
Jason Nelson, the Republican Oklahoma state rep - who does not have gay face! - introduced HB 3408, called "An act relating to marriage" which would make it a felony for a minister of the gospel to solemnize a marriage not recognized by the state. Apparently their 2004 constitutional amendment codifying marriage as an exclusively heterosexual institution, banning civil unions and other legal protections for gay and lesbian people, and punishing any issuance of a marriage license to a same-sex couple weren't enough to "protect marriage." Now we have to throw ministers in jail for 1 to 5 years just to make quadruple sure.
> Full Story. [1/28/10]
EQUALITY TEXAS MOURNS THE DEATH OF MYRA ICAL
Houston area now has 7 unsolved transgender murder cases in past decade
Austin, Texas (January 23, 2010) – Equality Texas mourns the tragic death of Myra Chanel Ical who was murdered earlier this week in Houston. Ical's body was found January 18th in a vacant field in the 4300 block of Garrott in Houston, and showed signs of a defensive struggle according to police reports. > Full Story. [1/26/10]
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