Today the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee will hold a hearing on ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) after 4 senators, Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Bob Casey, D-Pa., Mark Kirk, R-Ill. & Susan Collins, R-Maine wrote the committee's chairman Senator Tom Harkin, D-Iowa to request the hearing. The letter stated, "Employees should be judged on their skills & abilities in the workplace & not on their sexual orientation or gender identity. While some states prohibit public & private employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation & gender identity, recent studies have found evidence of continued widespread employment discrimination against LGBT people." The federal law to ban workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation has dragged-on for years. ENDA was first introduced in 1994. The House of Representatives approved it in 2007 on a bipartisan vote but the Senate never voted on it. Gays & lesbians now serve openly in the military since the repeal of DADT. Gay couples can now legally marry though without 1100 federal rights in Connecticut, Washington DC, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont & there is some form of legal recognition in 12 states more states but in 29 states gay workers can still be fired or denied promotions simply because they're gay. Of course our transgender community are the most vulnerable. However federal government employees are protected by a policy that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation & gender identity & almost 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies have their own nondiscrimination policies. So it’s time to stop this discrimination against our LGBT community & PASS ENDA NOW!! Updates to Come…:)
Exclusive Audio Interview with Andrew Peterson, Director of Programming for the Provincetown International Film Festival that takes place in Provincetown, Massachusetts June 13th through June 17th. Over 60 films will be presented. The 2012 Filmmaker on the Edge Award will be awarded to Iconic Producer/Director Roger Corman presented by director John Waters. Actor Parker Posey will receive the Excellence In Acting Award. The Faith Hubley Career Achievement Award will be given to documentary director Kirby Dick.
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View Our Historic Short Trailer on Gay Marriage
For Father’s Day, GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, has released videos of LGBT leaders, civil rights leaders & labor leaders discussing the negative impact of the stop & frisk policy in order to mobilize these movements for a Father’s Day march that will advance a shared agenda of equality & justice. Videos, included gay allies Rev. Al Sharpton, NAACP President Ben Jealous & Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union President Stuart Appelbaum. The videos follow on the heels of LGBT orgs from around the country, convened by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), joining civil rights leaders, labor leaders & elected officials at the Stonewall Inn to declare support for the increasingly visible campaign against stop & frisk & participation in a Father’s Day silent march to end racial profiling, which has been organized by the NAACP, National Action Network & United Healthcare Workers East. The historic Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village is where a backlash against police harassment in June 1969 launched the modern LGBT rights movement. Herndon Graddick, president of GLAAD stated, "LGBT people of color are twice as likely to experience police harassment simply because of who they are or what they look like. The time has come for communities to work together to ensure that every person has the ability to walk the streets of their community without fear of harassment—from fellow community members & those who we entrust to keep our communities safe." "The coming together of civil rights leaders & LGBT leaders on this issue is a historic union with broad social and political ramifications. If we fight for each others’ issues it broadens & strengthens each respective movement," said Rev. Al Sharpton, President of National Action Network, a convener of the Silent March Against Stop & Frisk and Racial Profiling, and MSNBC host, who endorsed marriage equality in 2004. This is definitely an interesting way to celebrate Father's Day. More Info: silentmarchnyc.org
Exclusive Audio Interview with Andrew Peterson, Director of Programming for the Provincetown International Film Festival that takes place in Provincetown, Massachusetts June 13th through June 17th. Over 60 films will be presented. The 2012 Filmmaker on the Edge Award will be awarded to Iconic Producer/Director Roger Corman presented by director John Waters. Actor Parker Posey will receive the Excellence In Acting Award. The Faith Hubley Career Achievement Award will be given to documentary director Kirby Dick.
More @ OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFFINGTON POST...:)
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
SUPPORT OUR QUEST @ OUTTAKE™ EQUALITY STORE...:)
View Our Historic Short Trailer on Gay Marriage
