Q Biz News

New York City sees Pink Triangle exhibition

2015-07-06T09:52:00.002-07:00

Nazis used pink triangles to mark homosexuals.

The exhibit at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City covers Nazi persecution of homosexuals during World War II.

Under Hitler, more than 100,000 gay men were arrested for violating Nazi Germany’s ban on homosexuality. Gay prisoners were marked with pink triangles.

Today, pink triangles are often displayed upside down to honor those victims and symbolize the LGBT equality movement. Read more at The Advocate.

Marriage equality a challenge in some Texas counties

2015-07-06T09:37:00.000-07:00

Struggle for marriage equality continues in some Texas counties.

A gay couple is suing a rural Texas county clerk for delaying their marriage license by “at least three weeks.”

Katie Lang, Hood County clerk, claims the county must reprint paperwork to be gender-neutral. However, she also says she won’t personally issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples because it goes against her religious views.

Hood County has begun to issue same-sex marriage licenses since the lawsuit has been filed. The case is Cato v Lang, 4:15-491, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas (Fort Worth). Read more at Bloomberg.

Obama’s executive order aims to prevent anti-gay discrimination among federal contractors

2014-07-22T08:56:00.003-07:00

President Obama

President Barack Obama signed an executive order yesterday preventing federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT workers. Faith-based organizations will not be exempt. The order comes five decades after President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Obama acknowledged the history of executive actions and legislation to ban discrimination in the workplace, saying our country should “make sure we the people applies to all the people.” Read more at CNN.

Will Hobby Lobby enable workplace discrimination?

2014-07-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

Are LGBTQ employees the next target?

I’m afraid the United States Supreme Court’s decision in the Hobby Lobby contraception case will open the floodgates for conservative businesses top use religion to their favor for other issues, including discrimination against LGBTQ employees. Time and again, the majority of its justices have favored the interests of companies over individuals. I'm ready for a correction.

Buger King sees rainbows

2014-07-03T13:26:00.000-07:00

BK pride

According to Business Insider, a single San Francisco Burger King’s support for LGBT Pride is causing quite a stir. It has been selling Whoppers wrapped in rainbow-colored paper that sports the phrase, "We are all the same inside."

Of course, now bigots want to boycott Burger King. I say bring it! I’m not a big fast food person, but BK makes a terrific veggie burger. If we’re going to grab a fast food chain restaurant burger, please let it be from Burger King.

Capehart: Supreme Court must act on gay marriage

2014-06-23T10:09:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Capehart

Jonathan Capehart makes his case for why the Supreme Court needs to act on gay marriage due to the patchwork mess of Social Security benefits from state to state. Check it out in "The Washington Post."

Obama to sign executive order preventing LGBT discrimination among federal contractors

2014-06-16T10:23:00.001-07:00

President Obama

According to the White House, President Barack Obama will sign an executive order today to prohibit federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, reports McClatchy News.

“This is a major step forward in the struggle for freedom and justice for LGBTQ workers and their families,” said Rea Carey, executive director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF). “Now millions of people will have the economic security they need to provide for their families.”

ExxonMobile, the largest company without LGBT workplace protections, will now be required change its policies. The company draws hundreds of millions annually from federal contracts. It has consistently resisted such change. Earlier this month, ExxonMobil’s shareholders voted for the 17th time to reject a policy that would prohibit discrimination against its LGBT employees.

“This order will bring much-needed relief to ExxonMobil’s LGBT employees,” said Chad Griffin, president, Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Each year HRC rates companies’ attitudes toward LGBT employees. “Year after year, ExxonMobil has held the lowest spot in HRC’s Corporate Equality Index -- the first and only company to receive a negative score.”

The administration said no current federal law adequately prevents workplace discrimination against LGBT employees. It is building upon existing protections that prohibit federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin and is “consistent with the president’s views that all Americans, LGBT or not, should be treated with dignity and respect.” Obama will headline the annual Democratic National Committee LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) Leadership Council’s fundraiser in New York on Tuesday.

“Through his actions, the President has demonstrated again his commitment to ending discrimination,” said Carey. “Now we must redouble our efforts for the urgent passage of state employment protections and strong federal legislation.”

Former BP CEO Lord John Browne reflects on his closeted career

2014-06-16T07:29:00.001-07:00

Lord John Browne

Former BP CEO Lord John Browne, who spent much of his career as a closeted gay man, has been publicly sharing his insights recently to promote his new book, “The Glass Closet: Why Coming Out is Good Business.” In “Fortune,” Lord Browne writes about his experiences. He says he was assumed to be straight and frequently was asked about his girlfriend or wife. He says such assumptions can be stressful for someone in the closet. Read more here.

Houston passes human rights ordinance

2014-05-29T09:32:00.000-07:00

Houston City Hall

The Houston City Council on Wednesday passed an ordinance extending equal rights protections to LGBT residents, reports the Houston Chronicle. The decision passed on an 11-6 vote and received applause from supporters after nine hours of discussion that included personal testimonies. Opponents say they will pursue repeal.

The Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, which became known as HERO, bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and reinforces federal anti-discrimination laws on sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, pregnancy and genetic information, as well as family, marital or military status. It applies to businesses serving the public, private employers, housing, city employment and city contracting. Violators could be fined as much as $5,000. Religious institutions are exempt.

Houston’s mayor, Annise Parker, is known as the first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city. She is credited with bringing the measure to a vote.

Irresistible Revolution: Confronting Race, Class, and the Assumptions of LGBT Politics

Sochi Olympics underscores Russia’s homophobic laws and great cruising environment

2014-02-07T10:08:00.000-08:00

Olympic Flag

At the opening ceremony for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, the German team wore rainbow-colored coats. A Dutch snowboarder has already competed while wearing rainbow gloves. Google makes its own statement by unveiling a “doodle” with illustrations of athletes encased in the colors of the gay rainbow. Already, four activists have been arrested in St. Petersburg for protesting LGBT discrimination at the Olympics. Regardless, whoever designed those public toilets did a big favor for tearoom cruisers. Let the games begin!

Transnational LGBT Activism: Working for Sexual Rights Worldwide

Oklahoma gay marriage ban is just wrong

2014-01-14T17:51:00.001-08:00

Tallgrass Prairie Nature Preserve in Osage County, Oklahoma

A federal court judge has ruled Oklahoma’s state amendment to ban gay marriage unconstitutional, but local gay cowboys and cowgirls will have to wait before they break their backs to put a ring on the finger of that special person. Unlike Utah, where there was an immediate window to marry before the U.S. Supreme Court put a temporary block in place, U.S. District Judge Terrence Kern stayed his ruling pending an appeal. Kern said Oklahoma’s same-sex-marriage ban is an "arbitrary, irrational exclusion of just one class of Oklahoma citizens from a governmental benefit." Arbitrary and Irrational? In Oklahoma?! No way!

Nigeria's new anti-gay law spreads fear

2014-01-14T15:03:00.000-08:00

Lagos, Nigeria

Human rights activists say police in northern Nigeria are torturing gay men to get the names of other LGBT Nigerians to prosecute under a the country's new anti-gay law. Many activists fear a spike in homophobic violence. The law, pushed through by conservative religious groups, also targets HIV-AIDS prevention programs and health care for those who are infected.

Gay groups ask Apple to cut ties with Russia’s Euroset over spokesperson’s extreme homophobic comments

2014-01-07T09:17:00.000-08:00

A Euroset shop in Moscow

Several Russian LGBT organizations have formed a coalition to pressure Apple to break ties with Russia-based mobile phone retailer Euroset. Ivan Okhlobystin, Euroset’s creative director and spokesperson, recently suggested burning all gays alive in furnaces, followed by more homophobic comments on Twitter. The coalition wrote an open letter to Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. The groups are also asking Euroset vendors in Europe and Asia to reevaluate their partnerships.

Supreme Court temporarily blocks Utah gay marriages

2014-01-06T13:58:00.000-08:00

United States Supreme Court

The United States Supreme Court has temporarily blocked same-sex marriages in Utah until a federal appeals court rules on whether the state law banning the marriages violates the Constitution. The process could last several weeks.

‘Equality Means Business’ in Memphis

2014-01-03T06:45:00.001-08:00

Elvis statue at Beale and Main Street, Memphis

A Tennessee group wants to encourage LGBT equality through the power of the gay purse. The Tennessee Equality Project’s campaign, ‘Equality Means Business,’ enables companies to promote solidarity with gay customers with a window sticker. Participants also receive recognition online and through a business list. The group says some Memphis businesses have been discriminating against LGBT people.

Gay couples fight Kansas tax law

2014-01-02T09:06:00.000-08:00

Wichita, Kan.

The Kansas Department of Revenue is being sued by two same-sex couples over unequal treatment when filing taxes. In Kansas, married gay couples must file two separate returns—one for federal, which recognizes the marriage as legal, and one for Kansas, which considers the union invalid.

Business tycoon Branson calls for Uganda boycott over draconian anti-gay laws

2013-12-24T08:30:00.001-08:00

Richard Branson

Richard Branson, the flamboyant, outspoken founder and CEO of Virgin Group, says there should be consequences for Uganda’s “dreadful witch hunt” of gays and lesbians. Branson refuses to invest in Uganda and wants others to do the same.

Federal judge keeps Utah’s same-sex marriages going, but battle to continue

2013-12-23T13:29:00.000-08:00

Today U.S. District Judge Robert J. Shelby said same-sex marriage could continue in Utah as he rejected a request to put them on hold. So far, more than 300 gay couples have obtained marriage licenses in the state.

Gay columnist gets hate mail for criticizing Robertson's bigotry

2013-12-23T09:41:00.000-08:00

Josh Barro

On Saturday, Josh Barro of Business Insider published a column that criticizes defenders of Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson’s racist, homophobic remarks in GQ. Since then, he’s received plenty of ridiculous, laughable hate mail—check out some excerpts here. By the way, who else thinks Josh Barrow, who is openly gay and an occasional talking head on cable news shows (see unrelated clip), is totally hot?!

Utah sees gay marriage rush after ruling

2013-12-22T10:20:00.000-08:00

Frank E. Moss United States Courthouse, Salt Lake City

Utah, a state that is home to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and considered to be one of the most conservative in the nation, has joined the ranks of Massachusetts, New York and California. A judge overturned its gay marriage ban Friday, making it the 18th state where same-sex couples can legally marry. While gay and lesbian couples rush to say “I Do,” state officials are moving to put the decision on hold.

Could Indiana, a red state, be next for gay marriage?

2013-12-20T12:32:00.000-08:00

Indianapolis at night

It looks like quite a battle is shaping up in conservative Indiana as same-sex marriage supporters push to amend the state’s constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Volunteers with Freedom Indiana are running phone banks and contacting lawmakers before the Legislature reconvenes next month, while big companies such as Eli Lilly & Co. and Cummins Inc. have each contributed $100,000 to the campaign.

Lockheed Martin stops Boy Scout support over anti-gay bigotry

2013-12-20T07:22:00.001-08:00

Lockheed Martin headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland

According to a statement released Thursday by Lockheed Martin, the company is putting a stop to donations to the Boy Scouts of America over its ban on gay leaders. This year, the Boy Scouts began allow gay boys to participate, but it continues to ban gays from leadership roles.

New Mexico Supreme Court rules in favor of same-sex marriage

2013-12-19T17:23:00.001-08:00

Santa Fe, New Mexico

New Mexico has become the seventeenth state to allow gay marriage. Some counties had begun to allow same-sex marriages earlier this year because no state law prevented it. Hooray for New Mexico!

Orlando says come here to play if you’re gay

2013-12-19T06:18:00.002-08:00

Gay Day at Disney World, 2007

Central Florida's gay and lesbian travel bureau, Converge Orlando Inc., wants to attract more LGBT travelers and has established goals to meet those aims. Orlando is famous for its theme parks, but also offers plenty of great places to eat, shop, party and soak up some sun.

Obama skips Winter Olympics in Russia to send a message to its anti-gay leaders

2013-12-18T09:14:00.000-08:00

Billie Jean King

“Oh hell no!” is the message President Obama has sent to Russia in the wake of anti-gay legislation enacted before the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. However, he will send two high-profile gay athletes, Billie Jean King and Caitlin Cahow, as delegates to take part in the ceremonies. Take that, Russian homophobes!