Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

From the Post-Gazette we learn:

The former Mellon Financial Corp. was recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, as one of the “Best Places to Work for GLBT Equality.” Last year, Mellon merged with the Bank of New York, which did not make the list (http://www.hrc.org/issues/best_places_to_work_2008.asp). …

Is your company on the list?  Mine is too small. Neither is my insurance agency, my cell phone provider, or my car manufacturer.  The good news is that my credit card company and the manufacturer of my computer are listed.  Plus, Starbucks – my guilty pleasure.

Here are the specifics on Mellon.  Let's hold our breath and hope that the merger will pull Bank of New York up to this level next year.

Also, the 4th Annual Pittsburgh NaviGAYtour is due out this spring.  Get it — a gay and lesbian tour guide. Does that mean there's a separate issue for queers, bisexuals and trans men and women? Anyway, this little PG story is basically a giant soliciation for gay friendly restaurants who want to be included in the tour guide.  Make sure you tell your favorite local business.  Somebody call the Square Cafe! 

On the national front, Governor Bill Richardson is ending his Presidential campaign.  Richardson is by all accounts a progressive candidate on LGBT issues …here's what Pam has to say.

* He signed legislation expanding New Mexico civil rights laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity. (At the time, only three other states had included transgender protections.)

* He signed a hate crimes law that included actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity.

* He signed an executive order in 2003 extending health insurance and other benefits to the same-sex domestic partners of N.M. state employees.

* He's on record backing full-fledged civil unions and (unlike John Kerry) opposes state-level constitutional amendments banning gays from marrying.

* While in Congress, Richardson backed military service for out gay men and lesbians. That means, unlike Al Gore, John Kerry, John Edwards, Hillary and the rest, he was anti-Don't Ask, Don't Tell when it was very uncool to be.

I'm still pulling for Edwards even though I was not pleased with his comments about Hillary Clinton's demonstration of emotion.  I just can't get excited about Obama given my concerns about his pandering to religious interests.  Gussied up in lefty politics, it is the same marriage that makes Mike Huckabee so unpalatable.   Obama's affiliation with ex-gay zealot Donnie McClurkin is cause for concern, too.

This ties into yesterday's post about joining the Steel City Stonewall Democrats. 

If the frontrunning Democratic candidate for President can be (in either case) pretty weak on LGBT issues …

If the Mayor of Pittsburgh can publicly oppose gay marriage AND gay civil unions without losing any of his gay support …

If the County Chief Executive can publicly oppose domestic partner benefits for County employees and hide behind “the budget” while planning to run for Governor …

If, If, If … then we need to make sure our voices are being heard in the Democratic Party. Steel City Stonewall Democrats needs to be accountable for and accountable to the LGBT community.  You can make that happen.