On 19 May, the first Pride March was held in Chisinau, Moldova. By Cathy Kristofferson, May 19, 2013 I just saw this on twitter and cheered out loud: First Pride March held in Moldova http://t.co/NGwq6Bepbr%5B@Eastbook_en%5D EurAlmanac16:15 I cheered not only because I was thrilled for the Moldovan LGBT community, but also for the bitter defeat […]
Author Archives | Cathy Kristofferson
Homeless Youth | “Street Child: A Memoir”
Award Winning Author Justin Reed Early releases new edition of acclaimed “Street Child: A Memoir” Continuing National Tour Providing Books at No Cost to Homeless and At-Risk Youth (& Social Workers) Posted by Cathy Kristofferson , May 19, 2013. Los Angeles, CA, May 10, 2013….This week the acclaimed book “Street Child: A Memoir” was re-released […]
IDAHOT Around the World | The good, the bad, and the ugly
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 18, 2013 The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia – IDAHO, IDAHOT, IDAHOBIT or however you like it – annually celebrated on May 17, was conceived in 2004 to commemorate the World Health Organization’s decision to remove homosexuality from its list of mental disorders in 1990. This year over 100 […]
Bigots stalk, video and harass at Boston Youth Pride
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 18, 2013 I started this piece months ago when there was risk of the delegates from Uganda being exposed at the Scott Lively trial in Springfield MA by those who have the vile habit of exposing members of the gay community in some misguided attempt of shaming them… ’straight’ I suppose. I […]
9 years of Marriage Equality for Massachusetts and no Apocalypse yet
Happy Anniversary Massachusetts By Cathy Kristofferson, May 17, 2013 We here in Massachusetts are waiting. Waiting for the sky to fall, the apocalypse to occur, the locusts to swarm. We have been waiting 9 long years now. Nine years and over 19,000 same-gender couples’ marriages later and none of the promised catastrophes have occurred! We remember May […]
John Kerry headed to the lion’s den of homophobia
Where the purveyors of hate take funding from State Dept USAID… By Cathy Kristofferson, May 16, 2013 Secretary of State, John Kerry is headed to Ethiopia this weekend for the 21st African Union (AU) summit May 19-27. While at the summit he will attend the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Organization of African […]
Somerville Mayor publicly condemns homophobic language directed at appointed official
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 15, 2013 Ah, but were every city’s Mayor so enlightened. The Mayor of Somerville, MA, Joseph Curtatone, has publicly chastised the use of homophobic language against a recently appointed official, Alderman Courtney O’Keefe. He is using the opportunity to remind everyone demanding the respect of all. Mayor Curtatone’s open letter starts […]
Belize: Final thoughts from the Caleb Orozco v. The Attorney General Case
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 14, 2013 The dust has now settled a bit in Belize after last week’s whirlwind 4 day trial of the Caleb Orozco v. The Attorney General. The case challenged the constitutionality of Section 53, a law inherited from the colonial legal system, that criminalizes same gender sexual conduct in Belize. The case brought […]
Minnesota brings marriage equality to an even dozen U.S. States
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 14, 2013. Yesterday the Minnesota Senate voted 37 to 30 to approve marriage equality. Their vote followed last Thursday’s 75 to 59 vote in favor in the Minnesota State House. Today Governor Mark Dayton will sign the bill into law at 5 p.m. CT with the bill going into effect on August 1st. […]
Zambia and Ethiopia are the ‘next Uganda’
Anti-gay sentiment increases after the export of more Western Evangelical hate By Cathy Kristofferson Zambia and Ethiopia appear poised to be the next ‘Kill the Gays’ countries. Is that really something nations should aspire to? Melanie Nathan has documented the current struggles in Zambia here on OBLOGDEE , from the arrest of HIV/AIDS rights activist […]
LGBT Job Protections Needs Activist Uprising
Will direct action be what it takes to get job protections? By Cathy Kristofferson, May 11, 2013 While nationally the fight for job protections has gone quiet since the re-introduction last month of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) 2013, local activists in Texas have been fired up, and have taken direct action steps that may […]
Belize anti-sodomy penal code trial wraps-up its final day
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 10, 2013 Court opened for the fourth day in the Caleb Orozco v. The Attorney General of Belize trial challenging the constitutionality of the Section 53 anti-sodomy penal code trial. The Churches continued their claim that social issues such as public morality and health do not belong before the court. Once again […]
Belize Attorney General argues to maintain anti-sodomy penal code
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 09, 2013 Day Three of the Caleb Orozco v. The Attorney General of Belize trial challenging the constitutionality of the Section 53 anti-sodomy penal code started with chatter in the courtroom about the Claimant Caleb Orosco’s home being vandalized: This came on top of new reports last night on Belize Channel 5 […]
Belize Court hears Closing argument in Penal code anti-Sodomy case
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 08, 2013. Today, on Day Two of Caleb Orozco and the United Belize Advocacy Movement’s (UBIBAM) constitutional challenge of Belize’s Section 53 anti-sodomy law, lead attorney Christopher Smith‐Hamel SC, made his closing arguments. During his closing, he quoted Bishop Desmond Tutu, the Anglican humanitarian leader from South Africa: “’Our lesbian and gay brothers and sisters […]
Opening Arguments in Belize Urge Supreme Court to Uphold the Constitution
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 07, 2013 Today began the four day constitutionality challenge trial of Belize’s Section 53 anti-sodomy law in their Supreme Court. I have been watching the #UNIBAM twitter feed all afternoon (Belize = CST) for wonderful live-tweeting from Asa DeMatteo and now have been emailed (thank you!) the Press Release for Day One. […]
Re-introduction of the Every Child Deserves a Family Act
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 07, 2013. Tomorrow, the Every Child Deserves a Family Act (ECDF) will be re-introduced in Congress. The Act would ban discrimination in adoption or foster care placement based on the marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity of the potential parent, or the sexual orientation or gender identity of the child. […]
Tiny violins for Newt and the oppression of his new-found Catholicism
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 05, 2013. First off – Happy Cinco de Mayo! I saw a headline just now – “Gingrich: LGBT rights fight ‘one sided’ because Catholics are oppressed too”. Oh, really. Wonder what in Heaven’s name Newt is whining about now? Then I saw this quote: “But what I’m struck with is the […]
Belize Government and Christian right fight Supreme Court Challenge to decriminalize homosexuality
Getting rid of the old British Colonial penal code criminalizing homosexuality in Central America… By Cathy Kristofferson, May 05, 2013 The nation of Belize, bordered by Mexico and Guatemala, is the last country in Central America where homosexual acts are still illegal and punishable by long prison terms. But that could change for Belize and set […]
The Special Rights Battleground of ENDA and Immigration Reform
Seems to be exactly where the Religious Right is digging in these days. By Cathy Kristofferson, May 02, 2013. Two legislative initiatives now underway on Capital Hill greatly underscore the fact that it is the Religious Right who is seeking ‘special rights’ not the LGBT community, as we are so often accused. The Comprehensive Immigration […]
Oh no not another anti-gay pastor hosted by President Obama
National Day of Prayer to be headed by pastor who thinks marriage equality is a Satanic ploy… By Cathy Kristofferson, April 30, 2013 President Obama just, just!, held a press conference where he remarked that “the LGBT community deserves full equality, not just partial equality, not just tolerance, but a recognition that they’re fully a […]
Understanding those very grave concerns about ENDA’s religious exemption
By Cathy Kristofferson, April 29, 2013 Here on this BLOG Thursday, we reported that directly preceding the introduction of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) of 2013, a press release came out expressing “very grave concerns” about the religious exemption clause contained in the Bill. The American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal, the National Center for […]
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 will be introduced with problems
Employment protections bill introduced for the 20th time… but will expanded religious exemptions doom ENDA before it’s even reintroduced? By Cathy Kristofferson, April 25, 2013 The 2013 version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) will be introduced into Congress today by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) in the Senate and Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) in the […]
NOM’s new “Right to Refuse Service” campaign harkens to pre-Civil Rights days
And you thought refusal of service ended in 1964 with the Civil Rights Act… By Cathy Kristofferson, April 23, 2013 In Massachusetts one of the legislative campaigns we are working on is the Act Relative to Equal Access in Hospitals, Public Transportation, Nursing Homes, Supermarkets, Retail Establishments, and all other places open to the public. […]
Boy Scouts Apartheid is bigotry not evolutionary
Apartheid in the Boy Scouts Movement is not the way to evolve By Cathy Kristofferson, April 21, 2013 I keep seeing articles and posts about how great it is that the Boy Scouts are now, once again, considering allowing gay scouts (an idea that was proposed and went down in flames not that long ago) […]
The Boston Marathon bombers right wing blame game
By Cathy Kristofferson, April 19, 2013. First things first – we all know the Boston Marathon Bombing is the gays fault. I’m a Massachusetts native and have been waiting for the sky to fall or the apocalypse to occur since 2004; so I guess this is it. And the Phelps girls (courtesy Westboro Baptist Church) […]
Pat Buchanan calls for new era of civil disobedience in response to UN’s calls for equality
Is this a tacit call to violence? By Cathy Kristofferson, April 17, 2013 Yesterday was day two of the United Nations International Conference on Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. A conference at which Ban Ki Moon, its Secretary General, said: “Religion and culture cannot justify discrimination against gays and lesbians“. Also yesterday, Pat Buchanan penned a […]
Keeping the UN Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Conference Opening Remarks Lively
By Cathy Kristofferson, April 15, 2013 “Ladies, gentlemen, and all those in between” is how Espen Barth Eide, Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, opened the United Nation’s Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity’ conference today in Oslo. Potential for something good, I thought. He spoke not only of grave human rights violations (in general […]
Zambia doubles-down with threats to ‘stiffen laws against homosexuality’
By Cathy Kristofferson, April 13, 2013 Very early this morning (7am BST) HIV/Aids activist Paul Kasonkomona was to speak on the Crossfire BlogRadio program about his recent arrest for advocating for gay rights. Due to legal issues surrounding his going on the radio similar to the TV appearance which sparked his arrest, along with death […]
$300 billion in federal contracts granted where no LGBT job protections exist
20% of the American workforce is ’dreaming and waiting’ for you, Mr. President… By Cathy Kristofferson, April 10, 2013 Following the Supreme Court hearings on marriage equality, I wrote a piece here on this BLOG titled ‘Marriage is nothing without job protections’. One of the described protections that could be put in place was an executive […]
USAID announces LGBT Global Development Partnership
$11 million, four-year initiative to further LGBT equality worldwide By Cathy Kristofferson, April 08, 2013 Following the United Nations’ historic resolution endorsing LGBT human rights in 2011, President Obama issued a mandate to all agencies involved with foreign aid and development to “enhance their ongoing efforts with governments, citizens, civil society, and the private sector […]
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MELANIE NATHAN, EDITOR
Melanie ‘s Work
Melanie Nathan, is known for her international human rights advocacy for LGBTQI asylum seekers, Uganda Kill the Gays Bill, Corrective Rape issue in South Africa, and equality activism in the USA; especially on the issue of bi-national same-sex couples struggle for green cards in the USA.
Please feel free to Contact her if you have Tips, a story to tell - at nathan@privatecourts.com
See CV at http://www.visualcv.com/melnathan
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