Category: Politics

ActivismPolitics

Senator Casey (D- PA) Statement on ENDA Hearing; the Status of Employment Equality in PA

June 13, 2012 by

Senator Casey oft considered a very moderate Democrats is co-sponsoring the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)which would prohibit discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation or gender identity. WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today attended a Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing on the bipartisan Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).  Senator […]

OtherPolitics

Pennsylvania Democrats Endorse Marriage Equality With Some Naysayers

June 10, 2012 by

The Pennsylvania Progressive has the scoop on this weekend’s events in which the Pennsylvania Democratic Party supported adding marriage equality to the party platform.  I got a tingling sensation all over as Pennsylvania Democrats overwhelmingly approved a resolution endorsing marriage equality today.  In an emotionally charged meeting with impassioned speeches for women’s rights and gay […]

Politics

Pittsburgh Mayor Signs “Mayors for Marriage Equality” Pledge of Support

June 8, 2012 by
Pittsburgh Mayor Signs “Mayors for Marriage Equality” Pledge of Support

Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl has evolved in his understanding of the LGBT community and has now embraced marriage equality. He affirmed this by signing the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry pledge. Mr. Ravenstahl said he made up his mind after speaking with gay friends and staff, as well as members of his LGBT task […]

Politics

Lancaster Paper Rejects Paid Same Sex Marriage Announcement

June 4, 2012 by
Lancaster Paper Rejects Paid Same Sex Marriage Announcement

Jeffrey Klouser and Brent Weaver have been together 7 years and plan to marry out of state. To commemorate a momentous occasion they, like man couples, took out an ad in the local newspaper’s Celebrations section. Unfortunately, the paper’s management decided that such a simple affirmation of a relationship was not in line with community […]

Politics

Right Wing Talking Points on ENDA – Linking “Right to Work” With Attacks on Unions

May 29, 2012 by

Esteemed law professor from the University of Pennsylvania Tobias Barrington Wolff was recently a guest on WHYY (NPR.) Clarke Cooper of the Log Cabin Republicans was the other guest.  Tobias had this to say: When we discussed ENDA, Clarke sought to link the issue of workplace discrimination protections to the anti-union laws that Republicans are […]

Politics

State Rep Pushes to Modify Tax Code, Eliminate Discriminatory Inheritance Tax

May 25, 2012 by
State Rep Pushes to Modify Tax Code, Eliminate Discriminatory Inheritance Tax

State Representative Babette Josephs wants to eliminate a 15% inheritance tax for domestic partners, LGBTQ and straight, and is urging her colleagues to take action on legislation she introduced in 2011.  Erie Gay News has the story. Josephs’ legislation (H.B. 1828) would define a domestic partnership as a relationship not defined by marriage or a […]

ActivismPolitics

Western PA Bloggers Team Up To Promote LGBT Equality

May 24, 2012 by

My colleague Tom Waters drafted this explanation of a joint initiative we are launching … Two prominent western PA bloggers are joining forces to host a first ever LGBTQA bloggers and social media summit. Sue Kerr, primary blogger at Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents and Thomas C Waters of thomascwaters.com are planning a get together that they hope will be informative, interesting […]

Politics

Why is OFA PA Making It So Hard

May 24, 2012 by
Why is OFA PA Making It So Hard

OMG. Of course, we want to support the first sitting President to endorse marriage equality. I even made a campaign donation to put my money where my mouth was on that one. But the Obama for America Team PA folks are not making it easy. There’s no clear line of communication. Last week, I was […]

Politics

Equal Rights in Pennsylvania

May 16, 2012 by

Last week, I shared a graphic from The Guardiandepicting the fact that Pennsylvania as a Commonwealth has extended zero benefits to its LGBTQ residents (and tax payers.) I’ve been challenged – on the fact that a State Surpreme Court determined that as PA permits single persons to adopt, they cannot use sexual orientation of the […]

Politics

Post-Gazette Columnist Dailey Wants To Have Her (Gay Wedding) Cake and Eat It, Too

May 14, 2012 by
Post-Gazette Columnist Dailey Wants To Have Her (Gay Wedding) Cake and Eat It, Too

The fundamental problem with Ruth Ann Dailey is that she wants to support marriage equality AND support using tax payer dollars to fund religious programs. And her own political beliefs don’t bend that way, no matter how much history she cites. Here’s the basic argument Ruth Ann agrees that same sex couples should have access […]