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ENDA Finally Moves Forward

The US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, the bill that would protect workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity by a vote of 15-7. All the Democrats supported the bill & were joined by Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) & Mark Kirk (R-IL). The vote went swiftly after almost 2 decades of delays. Winnie Stachelberg, Executive Vice President for External Affairs at the Center for American Progress stated, “I was there in 1994 as ENDA was first drafted & introduced in the Senate by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy & I was there on that September day in 1996 when ENDA had its only Senate vote—a failed 49-50 vote. It’s been nearly two decades since then, when ENDA first sought to make it the law of the land that gay Americans would have the same workplace protections as everyone else in America. ENDA has grown stronger by including protections for hardworking transgender Americans. But it’s hard to believe that we are still fighting to end discrimination against LGBT people in the workplace, where today in a majority of states you can still fire someone for no reason other than their sexual orientation or gender identity. Today’s vote, with Republicans joining Democrats, gives us hope that federal law will finally provide equal protection for all hardworking Americans.” ENDA will now head to the US Senate for a full vote in the Fall. Updates to Come…:)
Listen: Celebrity Filmmakers On Their Films & LGBT Rights 
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OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
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Rhode Island Gay Marriage Webinar

Gay marriage goes into effect in Rhode Island on August 1st. To help couples plan ahead & avoid legal pitfalls, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), together with Marriage Equality Rhode Island & Rhode Islanders United for Marriage will offer a free webinar on Thursday, July 11th from 12P to 1P. This webinar will help couples prepare to marry in The Ocean State. When Rhode Island’s marriage equality bill was signed into law on May 1, 2013, becoming the 10th state where gay & lesbian couples could legally marry thoughts may have turned to cakes & invitation lists, but couples also should prepare by educating themselves about the legal practicalities of marriage. GLAD Attorney Janson Wu will present marriage basics & answer questions such as: What does Rhode Island require of couples who intend to marry? How will marriage affect my children? With the fall of DOMA, how will federal law treat my marriage? What if I already had a civil union in RI or was married in another state? The webinar will include ample time for questions from participants. This is a great opportunity to chat with GLAD the architects of gay marriage in this country, Marriage Equality Rhode Island (MERI) the only organization in Rhode Island whose mission is solely to achieve LGBTQI equality through policy change & Rhode Islanders United for Marriage. Couples who are interested in signing up for the webinar can register online here: glad.org/rimarriage 
Listen: Celebrity Filmmakers On Their Films & LGBT Rights 
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
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New York Grant For LGBT Youth


The Ali Forney Center, Hetrick-Martin Institute & NYC LGBT Center has been awarded a grant of one million dollars for 18 months to assist homeless LGBT youth with prior involvement in the criminal justice system to acquire education, job training assistance & job placement. The Governor’s office was informed about the need for these services in 2012 through the efforts of the Pride Agenda & the Campaign for Youth Shelter. Alphonso David, Deputy Secretary for Civil Rights for New York State stated, "This grant program, which provides vital job readiness training to help formerly-incarcerated youth adults get back on their feet, is another testament to Governor Andrew Cuomo's strong commitment to ensure that the most disadvantaged members of our communities actively participate in state's growing economy. Partnerships between the state & community based organizations, such as the Ali Forney Center, HMI, ESPA, & the LGBT Center, can make a difference in a young person's life. Getting a job is a critical step in putting people back on the path to being productive, contributing members of their community." The program will help young adult ex-offenders to gain the skills necessary to become productive employees or to successfully pursue post-secondary education. Services provided via this funding include: extensive stabilization and support services; work readiness training; General Educational Development (GED/high school diploma preparation); service-learning opportunities; & occupational training leading to an industry-recognized credential or enrollment into post-secondary education. The program is expected to begin August 1, 2013 & end on January 31, 2015.
Listen: Celebrity Filmmakers On Their Films & LGBT Rights 
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
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Next LGBT Workplace Protections

UPDATE: INCLUSIVE ENDA SWIFTLY MOVES THROUGH US SENATE 
COMMITTEE & SHOULD HAVE A VOTE IN THE FALL :)
Now that the Supreme Court ruled that it’s unconstitutional to discriminate against gay & lesbian couples our community can still be fired for our sexual orientation or gender identity in most states across the country. While we can get married in 13 states & Washington DC & have our marriages recognized by the federal government, putting a wedding picture on your desk still puts you at risk of losing your job. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) will change that. The good news is that ENDA will have a committee hearing in the Senate this Wednesday & 53 Senators have co-sponsored this important piece of legislation. Felipe Sousa-Rodriguez Co-Director, GetEQUAL stated, “We're asking you to add your name to a list of "Community Co-Sponsors" of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, to complement the 53 Senators' names that are already attached to the bill. Our goal is to have 3,000 names by Wednesday so we can give the list of Community Co-Sponsors to Senator Harkin (the chair of the committee hearing ENDA) & Senator Reid (who will decide if/when to bring ENDA up for a vote). Both of these Senators have the power to move this bill forward, and to ensure that sexual orientation and gender identity do not stand in the way of our ability to work!”
Become a Community Co-Sponsor of ENDA Here… 
Listen: Celebrity Filmmakers On Their Films & LGBT Rights 
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
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Tilda Swinton Gay Pride In Russia


Fierce gay ally & Oscar winner Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton) made a bold & fabulous stance while traveling in Russia by posing in front of the Kremlin displaying a rainbow flag that has gone viral. Russia as you know has passed a 100-year ban on Gay Pride parades & is in the process of passing more anti gay legislation. Swinton's action comes at an extremely crucial time for Russia's LGBT community. Last month Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a so-called "gay propaganda" bill into law which imposes large fines on residents who "provide information" about the LGBT community to minors. Similar laws had already taken effect in St. Petersburg & other cities. Putin also signed a law on July 3rd banning gay & lesbian couples in foreign countries from adopting Russian children. So while we celebrate how our LGBT community is moving forward in America with the US Supreme Court knocking down DOMA & finding Prop 8 in California unconstitutional we must thank our gay & straight allies for their effort towards gaining our global LGBT equality. Other celebrities have fought this insane homophobia in Russia by speaking out in defense of Russia's LGBT including pop superstars Madonna & Lady Gaga. A 10 million dollar Russian lawsuit against Madonna was dropped after a court ruled the pop superstar didn't break St Petersburg's infamous 'gay gag' law last November.
Updates to Come…:)
Listen to Gay Congressman Pocan On DOMA Ruling  
Listen to AFER Prop 8 Super Team Speaks OUT 
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
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San Diego Pride Gay Navy Request

Following the historic week of marriage equality victories, the United States Navy, Region Southwest has authorized active duty Navy servicemembers under its command to wear their uniforms in the San Diego LGBT Pride Parade next Saturday, July 13th at 11A. For the third year, servicemembers are invited to participate in the Military Contingent which leads the San Diego LGBT Pride Parade. Over 300 servicemembers are expected to participate, either in uniform or in a branch specific T-shirt. Stephen Whitburn, San Diego LGBT Pride General Manager stated, “San Diego has a strong military presence & a large LGBT community, & it is important to our LGBT servicemembers that we honor their full identity & service to our country. We are grateful to the Navy Region Southwest command for extending their support to our event and to these courageous servicemembers.” The authorization calls for Region Southwest members of the Navy who choose to participate in uniform to wear the following: Officer/CPO: The prescribed uniform is Summer White. Alternate is Service Khaki. E-1 through E-6: The prescribed uniform is Service Dress White. Alternate is Service Uniform. Navy personnel should not embellish or put any unauthorized items on their uniforms and those in uniform may only carry American flags. This authorization is only for California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Utah & New Mexico members of the Navy. Grand Marshalls this year are George Takei & La Toya Jackson.
For More Info: sdpride.org/military 
Listen to Gay Congressman Pocan On DOMA Ruling  
Listen to AFER Prop 8 Super Team Speaks OUT 
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
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Gay Marriage Rights After DOMA

Since the US Supreme Court ruled that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional there’s important information that gay & lesbian couples need to know to access the 1100 federal rights & benefits that we have secured. The United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is already working on extending benefits to gay & lesbian Federal employees & annuitants who have a legally married a spouse. Lee Swislow, Executive Director of GLAD stated, “When the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Section 3 of DOMA last week, we knew it would have an immediate positive impact on thousands of gay & lesbian couples & their families. In a swift & welcome announcement, the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has created a special 60-day open enrollment period for federal employees who are legally married to a spouse of the same-gender to begin receiving access to benefits they rightly deserve, including health insurance; life insurance; flexible savings accounts; & the ability of retirees to elect a survivor annuity if they have married following retirement. In another development that is already affecting many lives, the Department of Homeland Security has clarified that U.S. citizens in same-gender bi-national marriages are now eligible to apply for green cards for their spouse in the same manner as those filed on behalf of an opposite-sex spouse. These are policy changes with the capacity to make a significant difference in people's lives. I am so happy to see the administration moving quickly to ensure gay & lesbian couples & their families are finally treated fairly.” For More Info:glad.org 
Listen to Gay Congressman Pocan On DOMA Ruling  
Listen to AFER Prop 8 Super Team Speaks OUT 
  Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)

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