Chris Geidner
The Growing Effort To Protect LGBT People From Discrimination Under The Civil Rights Act Of 1964
After decades of failed attempts to pass LGBT job protections through Congress, change could be coming instead through the historic civil rights law. A new memorandum from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission obtained by BuzzFeed News lays out the case.
Chris Geidner
Despite Report, The Army Hasn't Yet Changed Transgender Service Policy
USA Today initially reported Monday afternoon on an Army "decision" to make it harder to discharge transgender service members. After the Army would not confirm the news and advocates questioned the report, USA Today corrected the story on Monday evening.
Chris Geidner
Federal Judge Orders Mobile County Official To Stop Denying Same-Sex Marriage Licenses
Mobile County is the largest county in Alabama that is not issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. [Update: Mobile County is complying with the order.]
Chris Geidner
Obama Welcomes Supreme Court Move To End “Patchwork” Marriage Laws
Marriage equality has “hit a critical mass,” the president says in an interview with BuzzFeed News.
Ben Smith
Two Key Marriage Campaigners Launch "People's Brief" For Supreme Court
HRC's Chad Griffin — who fought California's Prop 8 — joins with DOMA-slayer Robbie Kaplan to describe the "animus" that they say is behind states' marriage bans. The brief will be one of many amicus briefs to hit the Supreme Court in coming months.
Chris Geidner
Marriage Equality Is Coming To America This June
If there was any doubt left, Justice Clarence Thomas ended it on Monday morning.
Chris Geidner
Same-Sex Couples Begin Marrying In Alabama After U.S. Supreme Court Action
Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas would have granted the stay denied by the Supreme Court on Monday morning. [Update: Multiple counties are issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples and Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley will not take any action to stop them from doing so.]
Chris Geidner
With U.S. Supreme Court Silent, Alabama Chief Justice Aims To Stop Same-Sex Marriages
A Sunday night "administrative order" from Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore could lead to a crisis come Monday morning. Groups supporting marriage equality call Moore's move "outrageous."
Chris Geidner
Randy Berry Likely Pick For First Special Envoy For LGBT Rights
Berry currently oversees consular operations for the United States in the Netherlands. Update: LGBT rights advocates are expecting an announcement the announcement as early as February 23.
J. Lester Feder
Alabama Same-Sex Couples Await Supreme Court Word On Marriage
Alabama officials have asked Justice Clarence Thomas to stop same-sex marriage rulings from going into effect on Feb. 9. The Human Rights Campaign pushes for removal of Alabama chief justice for actions criticizing the federal court marriage rulings.
Chris Geidner
Michigan Governor Says State Will Recognize Last Year's Same-Sex Marriages
"[W]e will follow the law and extend state marriage benefits to those couples," Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder says. The move doesn't change the state's defense of the state's marriage ban at the Supreme Court.
Chris Geidner
Alabama Attorney General Asks Supreme Court To Stop Same-Sex Marriages
A federal appeals court refused to issue a stay in the Alabama same-sex marriage cases, meaning couples should be able to marry there Feb. 9. [Update: Alabama's attorney general is asking the Supreme Court to intervene.]
Chris Geidner
Nancy Reagan Turned Down Rock Hudson's Plea For Help Nine Weeks Before He Died
Rock Hudson was desperately trying to get treatment for AIDS in France in 1985. Much of that story has been told, but one part hasn’t: After a simple plea came in for White House help to get Hudson transferred to another hospital, First Lady Nancy Reagan turned down the request.
Chris Geidner
Ohio Will Have No Executions In 2015
Due to ongoing litigation and in order to give state officials time to implement a new execution protocol, Gov. John Kasich's administration moved all 2015 executions to 2016.
Chris Geidner
ExxonMobil Relents, Adds LGBT Worker Protections
A long-sought change.
Chris Geidner
Supreme Court Halts Next Three Oklahoma Executions During Court Case
The court ordered the state to postpone the executions until a legal challenge involving the use of a contested sedative in the lethal injection process is resolved.
Tasneem Nashrulla
Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Lashes Out At Same-Sex Marriage Ruling
Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore says the federal court marriage ruling does not permit same-sex couples to be married in the state. "[T]he issuance of such licenses would be in defiance of the laws and Constitution of Alabama," he says. [Update: Advocacy group files ethics complaint against the justice on Wednesday.]
Chris Geidner
As Justice Department Weighs In, Saks Backs Down On Claims In Trans Discrimination Case
"Discrimination against an individual based on gender identity is discrimination because of sex," Justice Department lawyers assert in court. Saks, earlier Monday, withdrew its argument that transgender people aren't covered by Title VII's sex discrimination ban.
Chris Geidner
No Same-Sex Marriages In Alabama On Monday, Under Federal Judge's Order
A key judges association in Alabama is advising against granting marriages — they say the federal court ruling doesn't apply to the local judges. Lawyers for the same-sex couple push back — and invoke the image Gov. George Wallace standing in the doorway during integration. [Update: Federal judge issues a 14-day stay of her marriage order.]
Chris Geidner
Same-Sex Couples Able To Marry In Alabama Under Federal Court Ruling
The decision striking down Alabama's 2006 ban on same-sex couples' marriages goes into effect immediately. [Update: Alabama's attorney general has asked the trial court judge to put his ruling on hold while the Supreme Court considers the same-sex marriage issue in other cases this spring.]
Chris Geidner
