By Melanie Nathan, March 13, 2015. Homeless youth across California would have greater access to the high school proficiency and equivalency exams under new legislation introduced by Senator Mark Leno. Senate Bill 252 would prohibit the Department of Education or testing companies from charging an exam fee to young people who are homeless. “Exam fees, […]
Tag Archives: CALIFORNIA
Announcing Legislation for Homeless Youth
SAN FRANCISCO – California State Senator Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, will join homeless youth advocates and other elected officials in San Francisco on Friday to announce important new legislation that gives homeless youth greater access to high school proficiency and equivalency exams. SB 252 would prohibit the Department of Education or testing companies from charging […]
California Governor Signs Landmark Leno Bill Addressing Smartphone Theft
Gov. Jerry Brown signed landmark legislation today addressing the growing epidemic of smartphone theft in California. SB 962, authored by Senator Mark Leno and sponsored by San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón, requires all smartphones sold in California to come pre-equipped with theft-deterring technological solutions to render the devices useless if stolen.
The Ninth Circuit confirms the end of conversion therapy in California
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled on two cases involving California’s law banning so-called LGBT ‘conversion therapy’. The appeals court has reversed a grant of a preliminary injunction in one challenge, and it has affirmed denial of a preliminary injunction in another. This means the law will be in effect during the proceedings. […]
California Leno Resolution Condemning Russian Anti-Gay Laws Clears Committee
The Noise we are making is working – Keep up the advocacy and activism as SR 18 Urges CalPERS and CalSTRS to End Future Investments in Russia and | Asks International Events, Including the Miss Universe Pageant, to Relocate By Melanie Nathan, August 26, 2013. SACRAMENTO – A resolution introduced by Senator Mark Leno that […]
Senator Mark Leno takes a stand against Russian Anti-gay laws with California investment resolution
Following Anti-Gay Crackdown, Leno to Introduce Resolution Urging CalPERS and CalSTRS Not to Make Future Investments in Russia By Melanie Nathan, August 09, 2013. SAN FRANCISCO – Senator Mark Leno, joined by Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, Senator Ricardo Lara and bill sponsor Equality California, will introduce a Senate Resolution on Monday urging CalPERS […]
One brave teen comes OUT in the face of Porterville’s homophobia
One brave teen comes OUT in the face of Porterville’s homophobia Three arrested in act of civil disobedience protesting shameful rescission of Pride proclamation SEE ARREST VIDEO Melanie Nathan, July 19, 2913 On June 04, 201, Mayor Virginia Gurolla of Porterville, issued proclamation recognizing the month of June as Pride Month in Porterville. A month later […]
Chaos erupts as Gays arrested when Porterville votes to rescind pride proclamation
Council chamber is in chaos as vote to rescind LGBT proclamation causes chamber to erupt in protest, with LGBT protesters arrested, and led out by Police. Mayor in tears. By Melanie Nathan, July 16, 2013. Tonight a coalition of LGBT groups and allies attended the Porterville City Council meeting, to oppose the efforts of the […]
Help Call for California Governor Jerry Brown to Sign Transgender Law
Help California Action Alert for Transgender Youth Posted by Melanie Nathan, July 08, 2013. On July 3, 2013, The California State Senate passed the School Success and Opportunity Act (Assembly Bill 1266), sending the bill that ensures transgender students have the opportunity to succeed in school to Governor Jerry Brown for his signature. Authored by […]
Happy 4th of July | Gays Celebrate Independence in a More Equal America
See Video – And a Gay Tenor sings his way into the hearts of America By Melanie Nathan, July 04, 2013. The weeks leading up to this 4th of July have been historic for America – the horrendously discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) came crashing down after decades of hell for many Americans and […]
San Francisco Marriage Exuberance
Prop 8 Plaintiffs marry on short notice as hundreds converge on San Francisco City Hall By Melanie Nathan, June 29, 2013. For the first time since that brief moment in 2008, all Californians are able to marry. Yesterday, with mere minutes notice, same-sex couples converged on San Francisco City Hall, as word spread through social […]
DOMA Dies on Decision Day
Marriage Ventured Marriage Gained as Prop 8 Dies too By Melanie Nathan, June 26, 2013. The Supreme Court released its historic landmark decisions on the two same-sex marriage equality cases in what has been an exhausting quest for marriage equality in the United States of America. In both cases gay and lesbian America came out […]
Porterville Spews More Hate by threatening to rescind LGBT Proclamation
By Melanie Nathan, June 14, 2013. Porterville City Council, the only city council in all of California to declare its support for the anti-gay Proposition 8 in 2008, is now threatening to rescind a proclamation signed by its Mayor, who had declared June to be LGBT Pride Month in Porterville. On June 04, despite heated […]
Gay immigration detainee reunited with fiancé after detention ordeal
A young gay man who was detained in San Diego by immigration authorities — whose story was documented by San Diego Gay & Lesbian News and OBLOGDEE — has been reunited with his fiancé in New York City. Here is the follow up article after his release by our friends at SDGLN:- A happy ending? […]
California Mayor Issues LGBT Proclamation despite Hateful City and Council Outburst
Porterville’s LGBT Community encounters City gay haters in venomous outburst By Melanie Nathan, June 04, 2013. It has been a long dirty battle between the LGBTQ community and some choice government officials and residents of the town of Porterville, California, culminating in tonight’s City Hall showdown, where Mayor Virginia Gurolla issued a proclamation recognizing the […]
A story from the steps of SCOTUS | Hoping the Justices consider the children hurt by Prop 8
By Melanie Nathan, April 04, 2013. There was no keeping me away from Washington D.C., on Tuesday 26th, the day that The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) would be hearing the Prop 8. arguments. I was there ‘wearing many hats; activist, blogger, co-producer of Gay U.S.A. the Movie, and the most important of […]
Photo-blog of the Prop8 the day of the SCOTUS hearings
Photo impressions from the first day’s activities.. I sure hope NOM comes back tomorrow, they were fun! By Cathy Kristofferson, March 26, 2013 This blog piece should really be titled ‘O-Blog-Dee goes to Washington, too busy to blog…’! Both Melanie and I are here in Washington D.C. trying to keep up with all that’s going […]
Marriage Equality USA reports from SCOTUS on Prop 8 arguments
MARRIAGE EQUALITY USA HOPEFUL FOR RULING IN FAVOR OF THE | FREEDOM TO MARRY AFTER UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT ARGUMENTS After oral arguments at the United States Supreme Court today, Marriage Equality USA is hopeful that the Court will rule in favor of the freedom to marry later this year. MEUSA was heartened by many […]
Historic Marriage Equality events underway across the United States
172 events start in all 50 states, with all eyes on Washington, D.C., as people start record breaking queue outside SCOTUS By Melanie Nathan & Cathy Kristofferson, March 24, 2013. 3/25 UPDATE: over 2500 people have gathered at events ranging from Casper, Wyoming, to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to Cleveland, Ohio already. And tonight is the big “night […]
Headline Speakers Announced for Tuesday, March 26 Marriage Equality Gathering at Supreme Court
Civil rights, religious, Republican, military leaders and families to speak at historic event By Cathy Kristofferson, March 23, 2013 Supporters of marriage equality will gather at 8:30am Tuesday morning on the steps of the Supreme Court before the first of two marriage equality hearings. The speakers will include an impressive collection of civil rights activists, […]
Obama Administration’s Historic Amicus Brief to the U.S. Supreme Court Opposing Proposition 8
By Melanie Nathan, February 28, 2013. Marriage Equality USA© (MEUSA™) and GAY U.S.A. the Movie, as well as other LGBTI activists are hailing the Obama Administration’s historic amicus brief which will be filed later today with the U.S. Supreme Court, urging the Court to end Proposition 8’s exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage. Prominent Republicans […]
California Prop 8 basics and Lists of Amicus briefs filed with SCOTUS
Proposition 8 was a California ballot proposition and a state constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections. The measure added a new provision, Section 7.5 of the Declaration of Rights, to the California Constitution, which provides that “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” By restricting […]
Conversion Therapy Ban Bill filed in Massachusetts
Massachusetts seeks to become the next state to ban conversion therapy for minors By Cathy Kristofferson, January 18, 2013. Today, Massachusetts joined California in the fight against harmful ex-gay conversion/reparative therapy for minors under the age of 18. Representative Carl Sciortino (D – 34th Middlesex District) filed “An Act Relative to Abusive Practices to Change […]
Defending the Gay Family at Installtion of San Francisco Archbishop Cordileone
Anti-gay Catholic Archbishop Cordileone Installed amidst noisy protests By Melanie Nathan, Oct 05,2012. Oakland Bishop Salvatore Cordileone was one of the major voices in the campaign to pass the discriminatory Proposition 8 in California. He is the head of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee for the Defense of Marriage, whose purpose has […]
Occupy Oakland Protests South African Mine Massacre
PETITION: Tell Lonmin to meet workers demands for higher wages and better living conditions! See below to link. Posted by Melanie Nathan, August 24, 2012. PFA Evening News Anchor Cameron Jones:Yesterday evening, in Oakland’s Oscar Grant Plaza, the gathering place of Occupy Oakland, several hundred people rallied in solidarity with South African miners, more than […]
California Prop 8 on the Way to Victory Revisiting My Child’s Wounds
by Melanie Nathan, June 05, 2012 We are on the home stretch of Proposition 8’s wild ride through the Courts with a set of victories that will either reinstate same-sex marriage for Californians or result in the Supreme Court of the United States hearing the case. I wrote a very personal article back in 2009 […]
California Senator Leno introduces Bill to Limit Strip Searches
For Non-Violent Detainees By Melanie Nathan, April 19, 2012 SACRAMENTO – Senator Mark Leno today announced introduction of legislation to protect Californians from intrusive strip and body cavity searches when they are taken into custody for minor offenses that do not involve drugs, weapons or violence. Senate Bill 1536 clarifies existing state law to allow […]
California AG Kamala Harris Call to Action for Homeowners BIll of Rights
Attorney General’s CALL TO ACTION to bring mortgage fairness to California Posted by Melanie Nathan, April 16, 2012 Earlier this year in Sacramento, Attorney General Kamala Harris introduced the California Homeowner Bill of Rights, which will bring fairness and transparency to mortgages in our state. Now your help is needed if the legislation is to […]
California Senator Mark Leno’s BIll Should Help Thwart Religious Freedom Fears
CA Senator Mark Leno Introduces Bill Reaffirming Religious Freedom . SB 1140 reinforces that no clergy member will be required to perform any marriage that is against his or her belief system. So maybe the religious right can stop whining about lesbian and gay civil rights to marriage equality. by Mel Nathan, February 21st, 2012 […]
AFER VIDEO | Prop 8 Unconstitutional AFER Press Conference Highlights
By Melanie Nathan, February 10, 2012. Proposition 8, the 2008 measure that stripped same-sex couples of the right to marry in California, has now been found by two Federal Courts to be unconstitutional! Prop 8 discriminates against same-sex couples in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. This week a majority from […]
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