by Cathy Kristofferson, January 11, 2015 Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) received their first lump of coal from Santa for 2015. Deliverers of Santa’s naughty list and coal at Christmastime, 1angryoldlesbian.org, returned barely two weeks into the new year following Thursday’s Washington Post article in which HRC’s vice president Fred Sainz gushed over presidential hopeful Jeb Bush’s new […]
One Step Closer for MA Homeless Queer Youth
As the Commonwealth enacts law to improve housing and services for homeless youth… By Cathy Kristofferson, December 31, 2014. Two years ago, on January 1st 2013, I posted here on OBLOGDEE about the ongoing plight of homeless queer youth. Every now and then that post gets renewed interest when someone quotes and/or links to it. That happened again […]
On Santa’s Naughty List HRC Gets Coal Delivery
…and the letter from Santa tells Chad why! Santa Claus asked the members of 1AngryOldLesbian.org (1AOL) if they wouldn’t mind delivering a letter to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), and they merrily agreed. Though the weather outside was frightful, their spirits were high as they donned their rainbow Santa hats while listening to the mood setting Perry Como’s “Santa […]
Uganda President Persecutes LGBTQ People For Political Power
Political Research Organization Talks About the Bahati-Kadaga-Museveni Anti-Homosexuality Bill By Political Research Associates, on February 17, 2014 Uganda President Yoweri Museveni is walking a political tightrope on the backs of LGBT Ugandans. In declaring that he will sign Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill, Museveni seeks to solidify his crumbling political power while putting the blame for Uganda’s […]
Museveni will rely on quackary to sign Anti-Gay Bill
As Uganda and the President perpetuate the lies that underpin the Law By Melanie Nathan February 14, 2014. It is clear that Ugandan President Museveni has pandered to the popularity of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill amongst the Ugandan MPs of his ruling NRM Party, to the detriment of Uganda’s LGBT community, as it is reported he […]
Putin frees Pussy Riot in Sochi Games schmooze
By Cathy Kristofferson, December 19, 2013 In an act claimed to have nothing to do with who is currently behind bars, nor the upcoming Sochi Olympic Games, or Russia’s abysmal human rights record, Vladimir Putin and his Duma yesterday suddenly decided to create a new law that will allow for the pardon of those currently imprisoned […]
APB put out on ENDA
Boehner buries ENDA, where is the Executive Order Obama? By Cathy Kristofferson and Ellen Sturtz, November 20, 2013 After the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) passed the Senate with bi-partisan support, all eyes turned to the House. It seems when we looked there, the Bill had been buried in four different committees and House Speaker John Boehner […]
Republican amendments further water down ENDA protections
What is the point of ENDA now? By Cathy Kristofferson, November 5, 2013 Republicans have introduced two amendments to the already highly contentious religious exemption of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 (ENDA), further watering down the bill’s protections. With all Democrats already committed to vote Yes and only 59 votes secured, supporting Senators Claire McCaskill (D-MO) […]
Cut from 50th Anniversary Dream Defenders want your 2 minutes
Our March Campaign Will Not Be Silenced By Cathy Kristofferson, August 30, 2013 At Wednesday’s 50th anniversary March on Washington celebration Dream Defender’s Philip Agnew and United We Dream’s Sofia Campos were denied their opportunity to speak at the last minute. The excuse given? Officials said they had “run out of time.” This follows the […]
Over a thousand attend London’s UK Supports LGBT Russia protest
“Stephen Fry has called on athletes … to make a symbol at the Games to display their objection to new anti-gay laws.” By Cathy Kristofferson, August 10, 2013 Today’s “UK Supports LGBT Russia” protest in London against Russia’s anti-gay laws and rising homophobia drew an early estimate of 1,100 attending the over 3 hour event. The […]
Bradley Manning now facing 136 years raises questions
By Cathy Kristofferson, July 31, 2013 Bradley Manning was charged in a 22 count indictment for releasing classified intelligence information to WikiLeaks. Yesterday the judge found Manning innocent of the most serious charge of ‘aiding the enemy’ and just one of the charges of violating the WW1 era Espionage Act. For the remaining 20 charges, […]
Why UK PM Cameron’s pro-gay remark is pure irresponsibility
By Cathy Kristofferson, July 25, 2013 British Prime Minister David Cameron declared last night that he wanted to “EXPORT” marriage equality “around the world”. Mr. Cameron was speaking at a garden party to celebrate the recent passage of ‘his’ Marriage Equality Act for England and Wales. This is the headline in today’s UK Telegraph: The article […]
Dutch tourists accused of gay propaganda freed
“They were discussing human rights when suddenly the police and migration officers burst inside.” By Cathy Kristofferson, July 22, 2013 Today a court hearing scheduled in Murmansk, Russia for the Dutch tourists arrested on ‘gay propaganda’ charges. It would seem that the judge did not hear the matter but rather “returned the case materials for […]
Moldova secretly adopts anti-propaganda law
“Politicians specifically sought to avoid debating the bill in public.” By Cathy Kristofferson, July 18, 2013 An article introduced in the Parliament of Moldova on May 23rd titled “Public activities with negative impact on minors” has now been secretly passed and adopted. Today, the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights is reporting that “A new […]
Baltic Pride 2013 advertising ranked detrimental as alcohol and tobacco
By Cathy Kristofferson, July 13, 2013 Baltic Pride 2013, while still battling Lithuanian authorities to hold the July 27th Parade in the capital Vilnius’ main avenue, has their advertising ‘deemed detrimental to minors’ in the same way as advertising alcohol or tobacco. Lithuania’s national broadcaster, The Lithuanian National Radio and Televison (LRT), has decided that the PSAs can […]
Is Belarus following Russia’s footsteps to ban ‘gay propaganda’?
‘Protecting children from the “advancement and promotion of homosexuality, especially among minors.”‘ By Cathy Kristofferson, July 09, 2013 A few weeks ago rumor had it that Belarus was looking to be the first country in Europe to re-criminalize homosexuality by amending its Criminal Code, to punish gays with up to 10 years imprisonment and confiscation of their […]
ENDA passes out of committee push underway for 60 votes
By Cathy Kristofferson, July 10, 2013 Today in a wham bam no discussion just majority and minority opening statements hearing, Senate Bill 815, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was passed out of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) in a 15-7 vote. All Democrats voted in favor joined by 3 Republicans – […]
MA Bill for Equal Access in Public Accommodations gets public hearing
By Cathy Kristofferson, July 07, 2013 This Tuesday July 9th, a hearing will be held for the Massachusetts Equal Access in Public Accommodations bill – officially (H.1589/S.643) An Act Relative to Equal Access in Hospitals, Public Transportation, Nursing Homes, Supermarkets, Retail Establishments, and all other places open to the public – in front of the Joint […]
Same gender couples risking arrest apply for Marriage Licenses in Russia
by Cathy Kristofferson, June 28, 2013 Today 5 same-gender couples applied for marriage licenses in the registry office in the Admiralty Side, a district of St. Petersburg, Russia. Officials at the registry explained that the licenses are only intended for couples of opposite gender and sent them on their way. This is a bold move in […]
Call to Boycott Olympics in homophobic Russia reminds of Apartheid South Africa
“If they feel strongly about human rights they should boycott the Olympics in Sochi.” By Cathy Kristofferson, June 18, 2013 RUSA LGBT, a Russian-Speaking American LGBTQ group in New York City, is calling for a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The lower house of the Russian Duma last week unanimously passed their […]
Idaho GOP resolves to reverse gay rights
By Cathy Kristofferson, June 16,2013 Idaho, like other states, has gained some protections for its LGBT community through municipal ordinances banning discrimination in housing and employment. It seems the Idaho State GOP just can’t stand that fact! Yesterday at their annual Central Committee summer meeting the Republican Party leaders of Idaho passed a non-binding resolution […]
Julian Bond gives powerful statement opposing ENDA’s religious exemptions
“Religious liberty, contrary to what opponents of racial equality argued then and LGBT equality argue now, is not a license to use religion to discriminate.” By Cathy Kristofferson, June 14, 2013 Back in April when the 2013 version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was introduced into Congress we posted here and here on OBLOGDEE […]
Protests and arrests as Russia’s State Duma passes anti-gay promotion bill unanimously
By Cathy Kristofferson, June 10, 2013 Update 6/30: President Putin today signed this bill into law. Proponents argue it is for the protection of children, but critics still allege it part of a broad crackdown on Russia’s LGBT community. For his part Mr. Putin tells international critics “We ask you not to interfere in our […]
Turkey’s ruling party says LGBTs ‘immoral’
“Isn’t there a place in Turkey for LGBT’s?” By Cathy Kristofferson, June 1, 2013 Just before Turkey exploded onto the international news scene with the current uprising in Taskim Square now labeled #OccupyGezi , we received a request to publicize the police suppression of this year’s Istanbul Gay Pride March which we did here. While […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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