Federal Contractors LGBT Rules

Just in time for LGBT Pride Month President Obama will sign an executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. This is one step closer to passing ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act), which would provide our LGBT community federal workplace protections. Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-02), Co-chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus issued the following statement on President Obama’s executive order to protect LGBT workers from employment discrimination by federal contractors: “I am pleased to see President Obama take action to ban employment discrimination by federal contractors. This protection for LGBT workers is long overdue. Congress must still act on the Employer Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to ensure all workers are protected from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. We need to give LGBT workers a fair shot to get ahead in life by making sure employers cannot fire, harass, deny a raise, or refuse to hire someone based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Only 21 states have made it illegal to fire or harass someone based on sexual orientation or to deny a raise or refuse to hire on that same basis. Wisconsin has been a leader on this issue becoming the first state to ban public & private sector employment discrimination based on sexual orientation in 1982." Updates to Come...:)
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Designing Women 2014 Awards

New York Women In Film & Television (NYWIFT) presents their annual Designing Women Honoring Costume, Makeup & Hair Designers on Wednesday June 18th. This year they're honoring Costume Designer Renee Ehrlich Kalfus (ANNIE, FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS, CHOCOLAT), Makeup Artist Evelyne Noraz (AMERICA HUSTLE, PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED), Hair Stylist Kerrie Smith (NOW YOU SEE ME, BEHIND THE CANDELABRA, RESCUE ME) & presenting the VARIETY Ensemble Award to the costume, makeup & hair design team of THE ANGRIEST MAN IN BROOKLYN. Presenters will be actors Jessica Alba, Rose Byrne & Denis Leary. Singer Michelle Williams will emcee the event. This is the most glamorous NYWIFT event of the year. Designing Women 2014 honors the brilliant costume designers, makeup artists & hairstylists who make movies & television come alive! The event takes place on Wednesday June 18th at 7P with a reception following the award presentation. The Designing Women 2014 Awards takes place at The McGraw Hill Building 1221 Avenue of the Americas in New York City. (Enter on 49th Street) The tickets are $75 for NYWIFT members & Local 798, 829 & 764 members & $150 for Nonmembers. NYWIFT programs, screenings & events are supported in part by grants from New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council & New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo & the New York State Legislature.
For More Info & Tix: nywift.org 
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LGBT Community Centers Study

A new study reports that LGBT community centers provide vital services to over 1.9 million people annually. LGBT community centers have also increased revenue for 2013, allowing them to develop innovative new programs to serve youth, homeless populations, & transgender populations. The new extensive report released this week by CenterLink & the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) surveyed 111 LGBT community centers from 32 states, the District of Columbia & Puerto Rico. Both large & small centers reported increased revenue for a combined revenue of $138.1 million but the biggest concerns emerging from the survey data are the challenges facing small LGBT community centers. Smaller centers often operating in locations & communities that are least accepting of LGBT people, struggle with a chronic lack of resources & the ability to pay staff. Two in three small centers rely entirely on volunteers. Max Disposti, Executive Director of the North County LGBTQ Resource Center in California stated, “The first few months we were open, people would show up & break into tears. They could not believe there was a new center in downtown Oceanside, a few hundred feet away from Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base. People would come in & share their stories, of when you could get beat up in the streets for being LGBT. Just five years ago, North San Diego County was not the place to be if you were LGBT. There is still so much work to do, but at least now we are more visible, more understood & respected. We are here to stay.”
Read Full Report…
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Boston Transgender Advancement

On Wednesday the Boston City Council voted unanimously to pass an ordinance ensuring that the City does not contract with any health insurance provider that does not provide comprehensive coverage for gender therapy services, including mental health care, hormone therapy & other transition-related care for transgender City employees. Kara Coredini, Executive Director of MassEquality stated, “This is a modest proposal that will have a profound impact on the lives of transgender municipal workers. We applaud Councilors Ayanna Pressley & Michelle Wu for introducing the ordinance & the Council members who co-sponsored it & voted to pass it. Their action today is an important next step in Boston’s continuing leadership on transgender equality & we hope that the state will soon follow Boston’s lead as it has so many times on issues of LGBTQ equality.” Introduced by City Councilors Ayanna Pressley & Michelle Wu in mid-April, the ordinance received the support of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh & the city’s Public Employees Committee which recently voted to ensure that the city’s insurance plans to accommodate increased access to gender therapy services for Boston employees. Though the ordinance passed unanimously this is a very small step in ensuring that all transgender people in the state are provided comprehensive insurance coverage. Currently, there are 17,000 Boston municipal workers whose insurance coverage will be impacted by this change. Washington, Oregon, Connecticut, Vermont & California have also amended their state policies to ensure that health insurers do not discriminate against transgender individuals.
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Holder Supports Gay Scout Leaders

Attorney General Eric Holder stated at a Lambda Legal event Tuesday that the Boy Scouts of America position to continue to ban gay & lesbian leaders promotes "the worst kind of stereotypes.'' Last month we reported that former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates took a giant step backwards in his new position as president of the Boy Scouts of America by confirming he will not end the ban on gay scout leaders. Holder stated, "It's a relic of an age of prejudice & insufficient understanding. Today, courageous lesbian, gay & bisexual individuals routinely put their lives on the line as members of America’s armed services. They inspire us, they protect us & they defend us. And if these men & women are fit for military service, then surely they are fit to mentor, to teach & to serve as role models for the leaders of future generations.” Jennifer Tyrrell the gay Ohio mom ousted by the Boy Scouts of America in 2012 stated, "This isn't just about Boy Scouts this is about equality in all aspects of life. Boy Scouts of America needs to realize that they're sending a dangerous message to children by telling them that they're not good enough. I am making sure no parent ever has to look their child in the eye & say we're not good enough. You have no idea how much that hurts because Alicia & I are good enough & these kids, that we're raising, are amazing. Ask anyone." I spoke to Jennifer Tyrrell about this at the GLAAD Awards in NYC in this exclusive audio byte:
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Boston Pride At Fenway Park Event

Boston Pride second annual “Pride Night @ Fenway Park” is a fabulous Pride Week event. We had a blast last year joining our LGBT community at Fenway Park. This year the Boston Red Sox will play against the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Park this Thursday June 12th at 7:10P. Sylvain Bruni, President of Boston Pride stated, "In 2013, Boston Pride made history by organizing the first official LGBT event with an MLB team, our beloved Boston Red Sox. Jason Collins threw the first pitch at the game, which was attended by hundreds of LGBT community members, including many families. We are very proud that the Red Sox are welcoming us back & we're expecting even more people to attend. So get your tickets now before they run out!!" Tickets are still available starting at $28. We already have ours & at that price you know they'll sell OUT. The Red Sox will also donate a percentage of tickets sales for Pride Night at Fenway Park to benefit Boston Pride, a nonprofit, 501© 3 corporation. So this Thursday June 12th, come out, show your Pride & enjoy a night at the ballpark! See You There! Boston Pride takes place now thru June 15th.
For Info & Tix: bostonpride.org
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Wisconsin Gay Marriage Update

Gay & lesbian couples continue to marry in Wisconsin after U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled on Friday that the state's gay marriage ban was unconstitutional. Since then hundreds of gay & lesbian couples have joyfully married in that state but Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen is attempting to appeal the federal court decision. Van Hollen has also filed a petition with the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago asking it for a stay. Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-02), Co-chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus stated, “For the first time, LGBT couples received the legal recognition & benefits of marriage from our state. The rights of all LGBT individuals across Wisconsin were upheld by a federal court on Friday & yet today Attorney General Van Hollen is asking a federal appeals court to stop county clerks from issuing marriage licenses. The Attorney General’s decision to appeal the ruling that struck down Wisconsin’s ban on marriage equality is a regressive & blatantly political attempt to revive a hateful & discriminatory law which violates the ideals of liberty & equality in our Constitution. Society has changed, barriers to equality continue to be broken down; it's too bad our Attorney General is still living in a more hateful day." Attorney General Van Hollen should watch this historic gay marriage short & perhaps learn something.
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