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Realizing the Promise of Title IX
Yesterday, we celebrated the 43rd anniversary of Title IX, a section of the 1972 Education Amendments to the Civil Rights Act that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs and activities that receive federal funding. Widely known as the statute that governs varsity athletics, Title IX has helped advance women’s rights in collegiate sports, yes—but it has also laid the foundation to protect broader women’s rights to educational equality. The statue provides legal protections for student survivors of rape and sexual assault, a critical step in ensuring a safe and productive educational environment where students can learn and thrive.
Court Case to Ban Conversion Therapy Proceeds in New Jersey
At the end of last year, Leelah Alcorn, a trans teen from Ohio, committed suicide, citing her parents’ rejection of her gender identity, their refusal to let her transition and her feelings that things will not get better as some of the reasons for her decision. Leelah’s suicide highlighted attempts to “change” the gender identity of trans people and resulted in a petition on We The People asking the administration to “enact Leelah’s Law to ban all LGBTQ+ conversion therapy.” Several months ago, the Administration responded to the petition and came out in opposition to conversion therapy, and earlier this month a court case began against a Jewish conversion therapy provider.
This is Not the Charleston I Know
The unspeakable murder of nine accomplished, beloved, and respected African-American Charlestonians of faith in their own church on Wednesday has hit our city like an earthquake.
Ruling for Marriage Equality Ensures Epic Pride Month 2015
Earlier today, the Supreme Court issued a historic ruling in favor of marriage equality, which establishes marriage equality in all fifty states. As we celebrate this victory for equality and as LGBT Pride month comes to an end, here’s a look back at some of the LGBT milestones that occurred this month:
Reaffirming the Value of All Lives on World Refugee Day
This Saturday, June 20, is World Refugee Day. According to the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention, a refugee is someone who fled his or her home and country due to “a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.” Many refugees are also in exile to escape the effects of natural or human-made disasters.
Senate Fails to Advance Justice for Servicewomen
It’s impossible to ignore the potential of risk of joining the Armed Forces: risk of serious physical, emotional or mental harm, and of the ultimate sacrifice. But rape and sexual violence, especially within the ranks, should never be a threat for Americans in uniform.
Yesterday, the Senate voted not to advance critical legislation to reform the military sexual assault adjudication system—a moral failure to address the alarmingly high rate of assault against service members, by service members. The legislation, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D-NY) Amendment 1578 to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), would remove the decision whether to prosecute sexual assault cases from the military chain of command. When 75 percent of service members who have been sexually assaulted lack the confidence in the military justice system to report the crimes committed against them, we know change is long overdue.
Plight of Rohingya Muslims is Call to Action to End Religious Persecution
Today, a senior U.S. official called for Burma to give citizenship to Rohingya Muslims who are fleeing persecution in their historic homeland. The Rohingya are a Muslim ethnic minority living in northern Rakhine State in western Burma. For decades, they have faced severe persecution and violence at the hands of the government. Burma's 1982 Citizenship Law denies the roughly 1.33 million Rohingya citizenship, in spite of the fact that Rohingya have lived in Burma for generations. In fact, Burmese President Thein Sein outright denies the existence of the Rohingya as an ethnic group of Burma, calling them "Bengali" instead.
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Reflections on Pride Month
This month, we celebrate LGBT Pride, which occurs every year in June. This month is my fifth year celebrating Pride Month as an out gay man, and this year I have a lot to be proud of.
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Reflections on Pride Month
This month, we celebrate LGBT Pride, which occurs every year in June. This month is my fifth month celebrating pride as an out gay man, and this year I have a lot to be proud of.
I am proud of our country and the direction we’re heading in. When I first celebrated Pride Month in June 2011, the military still banned gay and lesbian service members from serving openly; marriage was still defined as only between a man and a woman by the federal government; and employees of federal contractors and subcontractors had to fear losing their jobs because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Reform CA Leadership Letter to Assembly Appropriations - AB 953
The following letter was sent to members of the California State Assembly Appropriations Committee on May 12, 2015 by Reform California leadership: Dear Member of the Assembly Appropriations Committee: As part of our “B’yachad: In This Together” campaign, we write to you in strong support of AB 953,