All posts tagged HRC

History in the making

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How amazing is this?!

On 3/6, HRC delivered The People’s Brief to the US Supreme Court.  Over 200,000 people added their names to The People’s Brief which asked the Supreme Court to provide marriage equality to same-sex couples in the United States.  The People’s Brief has more signatories than any amicus brief ever submitted to the Supreme Court.  BAM.  

Obergefell v. Hodges is the marriage equality case that will be heard by the Supreme Court on 4/28/15.  This case is a HISTORIC moment in history.  Specifically for gay rights movement.   I had the HONOR of hearing the named plaintiff, Jim Obergefell  speak recently.  Long story short, Jim and his partner were together for 20+ years.   Sadly, Jim’s partner John Arthur was diagnosed with ALS so they had to make some very tough decisions.  Jim and John bravely decided to seal the deal and get married.  They had to leave the state to do this as they couldn’t get married in their own home state of Ohio.   Through the generous help of friends and family, Jim and John flew to Maryland to get married.   Jim required a medical team in order to travel as he was bedridden due to the advancement of ALS.  They married in June of 2013 and John died several months later.

When hearing Jim speak, you can’t help but get emotional.   Here he is grieving as his life partner is diagnosed with a terminal illness.  There are many different rights that come with being married.  One of which is having your partner listed as your surviving spouse on your death certificate.  Something to think about…a heterosexual couple can get married with zero restrictions or conditions.  They are provided all the legal benefits of marriage and their relationship is acknowledged regardless of the duration of their relationship.  Imagine what it must feel like to not have your 20+ year relationship acknowledged by same government you have paid tax to your entire life.
Hopefully, we will soon look back at the fight for marriage equality and say “remember when”.   It feels pretty darn good to be able to say I am on the right side of history 🙂

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by MJB on March 16, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in LGBT News
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Posted by MJB on March 16, 2015

https://thatssogay.co/2015/03/16/we-are-living-through-history/

Please read and share!

The 2015 HRC Corporate Equality Index report has been released.  This is an extremely important report that highlights where companies rank on their treatment of LGBT employees.  I personally think all companies should have a perfect score of 100 as discrimination is a black and white topic where there are no shades of gray here.

We should all be informed on which companies are doing the right thing and as part of such, be mindful on where we conduct business.  That’s a really PC way of saying we shouldn’t support businesses that discriminate.  Companies like Starbucks, Apple, and Google get a perfect score of 100.  The amazing is that the list of perfect scores has been growing at a great rate!

Take a look and download here.

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by MJB on November 24, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Equality, HRC, LGBT News
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Posted by MJB on November 24, 2014

https://thatssogay.co/2014/11/24/please-read-and-share/

HRC’s “All God’s Children” Ad Features Trailblazing State Legislator Alyce Clarke


What a brilliant campaign by HRC! The All God’s Children spots will run in Mississippi where I am sure you guess…is not the most gay-friendly state in the USA.  Through their community outreach, HRC was able to identify an opportunity to speak to a community and hit the issue at it’s core.  In Mississippi, the issue happened to be a deeply religious community who viewed gay as “sin”.

This campaign starts the conversation and is speaking to people directly and in a way that fits their lives.  HRC has also opened an office in Mississippi and has feet on the street.  GOOD FOR THEM.

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by MJB on November 17, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in HRC, LGBT News
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Posted by MJB on November 17, 2014

https://thatssogay.co/2014/11/17/hrcs-all-gods-children-ad-features-trailblazing-state-legislator-alyce-clarke/

Getting involved

I’ve been getting move involved with HRC.  What a great organization.  Talk about people that are working hard on making a difference.  I have also been working on building a LGBT group for the company where I work.  That has been really interesting and highly fulfilling.  Hoping to have that together shortly and get people involved.  You see so many diversity and inclusion groups out there in larger companies.  LGBT groups are hit or miss with some companies.  We see a lot of “women in leadership” type events but I have yet to see a “LGBT leadership summit” at a major corporation.

Back to HRC, let me know if you have any questions or would be interested in becoming more involved.

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by MJB on November 17, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in LGBT News
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Posted by MJB on November 17, 2014

https://thatssogay.co/2014/11/17/getting-involved/

Attorney General Eric Holder is amazing

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Amazing man: Eric Holder

More federal rights coming for same-sex marriages! The new Department of Justice memo instructs federal government lawyers to give same-sex marriages “full and equal recognition, to the greatest extent possible under the law”.   Attorney General Eric Holder will be speaking at a HRC event Saturday and some of the quotes below are from his upcoming speech.

-Some of the effects of the memo include allowing a same-sex spouse to refuse to provide testimony in a civil or criminal case that might violate their marital privileges.  A right that straight-couples currently have.

-Same-sex couples can for bankruptcy together

– Same-sex spouses can visit their federal inmate spouses

-Same-sex couples will be recognized equally in programs like: the Radiation Exposure Compensation Program, the September 11’th Victim Compensation Fund and the Public Safety Officer’s Benefits Program.

-The Public Safety Benefits program means that gay law enforcement officers and firefighters will have the same rights as their straight counterparts.

Holder also said, “This program is one way that we, as a country, stand by the families of those who put themselves in harm’s way to keep our communities safe, and we must never do that selectively,”.  “When any law enforcement officer falls in the line of duty or is gravely injured, the federal government should stand by that hero’s spouse – no matter whether that spouse is straight or gay.”. 

Good for you Mr. Attorney General.  I would love for him to run for President some day.  This man is everything a politician should be and an amazing role model for all. 

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by MJB on February 10, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in LGBT News
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Posted by MJB on February 10, 2014

https://thatssogay.co/2014/02/10/attorney-general-eric-holder-is-amazing/

Marriage equality in New Mexico

Marriage equality in New Mexico

NM is now the 16’th state + Washington DC to have marriage equality! Congratulations and let’s keep the momentum going!

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by MJB on December 19, 2013  •  Image  •  Permalink
Posted in LGBT News
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Posted by MJB on December 19, 2013

https://thatssogay.co/2013/12/19/marriage-equality-in-new-mexico/

“I’d like to burn all gay people in ovens”: Former Russian Priest

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Ivan Okhlobystin, former priest turned actor

File this under CRAZY.  Ivan Okhlobystin is a former priest from Russia who is now an actor.  He acts in the Russian version of the show “scrubs”.  “It’s Sodom and Gomorrah, as a religious person I can’t be indifferent to it, it’s a living threat to my children,” the idiot said.  Okhlobystin is a father of six kids and was kicked out of the Church in 2010 when he became an actor.  He also had a short-lived political career in 2011 when he TRIED to run for President.  Here are some other great quotes from this AMAZING man…“I don’t want my children to think that being a [faggot] is okay,”.  “It’s queer fascism! If a person can’t choose someone similar from the opposite sex for reproduction, it’s a clear sign of a psychic anomaly, it means they need to be deprived of the vote,”.  OK CRAZY.  Calm the f down.  Sounds to me like someone has issues with their own sexuality.

Russian LGBT people are facing HORRIBLE discrimination and harassment that is being promoted by the GOVERNMENT.  Last year, the Russian parliament began discussing a bill that bans “promoting non-traditional relations to minors” and clearly states that gays don’t have the same rights as their straight counterparts.  President Vladimir Putin signed this bill into law in June and has been defending it NONSTOP.

This is absolutely disgusting and a clear violation of human rights.  Russia has a FAR WAY TO GO before it could ever be taken seriously after all the horrific crimes against humanity here.

HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP! Join HRC’s #loveconquershate campaign here!

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by MJB on December 14, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in LGBT News, Uncategorized
Tagged , , , , , ,

Posted by MJB on December 14, 2013

https://thatssogay.co/2013/12/14/id-like-to-burn-all-gay-people-in-ovens-former-russian-priest/

Shopping tips!

This holiday season, be sure you support companies that are pro-LGBT.  Make a statement with your wallet!
Companies on the “nice” list include: Apple, Starbucks, Amazon, Microsoft, Target, Ford and many many others.

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Check out the HRC Equality Index here for a complete list of companies that support the community.

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by MJB on December 1, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in LGBT News, Uncategorized
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Posted by MJB on December 1, 2013

https://thatssogay.co/2013/12/01/shopping-tips/