WATCH: Fired for Refusing to Wear 'Women's Clothes,' Louisiana Trans Man Files Suit
A week into his job for First Tower Loan, Tristan Broussard says he was told to sign a form saying he would dress and act like a ‘female’ at work.
Mitch Kellaway
Daily Archives: April 14, 2015
Hillary Clinton's Campaign Ad Slapped With Adults-Only Rating In Russia Because It Features Gay Couple
Hillary Clinton's Campaign Ad Slapped With Adults-Only Rating In Russia Because It Features Gay Couple
Despite plenty of statewide buzz, Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign announcement ad isn’t going over well in Russia.
An opposition-minded independent television station, alternately identified as TV Rain or Dozhd TV, slapped the video with an “18+” age rating because it features a soon-to-be-wed gay couple holding hands, ABC and CNN are reporting.
The move, of course, is in line with Russia’s controversial “gay propaganda” laws. The legislation, which came under intense global scrutiny during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, imposes fines on those who expose gay “propaganda” to minors.
“There are no legal precedents for this law, so we just don’t know what comes under this law and [what] doesn’t,” a TV Rain spokesperson told CNN. “Therefore, fearing to break the law — especially given the high attention to TV Rain from the supervising authorities — we decided to put a marker [on the video].”
Jared Milrad and Nate Johnson, the two gay stars of the video invited Clinton to their wedding in a tweet on Monday:
Thanks for inviting us to your big day @HillaryClinton. We’re returning the favor & inviting you to ours. #wedding pic.twitter.com/paMtBFLLUW
— Jared Milrad (@JaredMilrad) April 12, 2015
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Congress Members Push for Funding for International LGBT Human Rights
Congress Members Push for Funding for International LGBT Human Rights
As Congress prepares to fund the federal government next year, Members of Congress continue to pursue every opportunity to protect the human rights of LGBT people around the world.
HRC.org
Elizabeth Taylor’s Grandkids Carry On Her Work To End AIDS
Elizabeth Taylor’s Grandkids Carry On Her Work To End AIDS
It was our grandmother’s greatest wish to see an end to AIDS within her lifetime. Sadly, in the four years since she passed away, more than 200,000 new HIV infections have occurred within the U.S; and more than 60,000 Americans have lost their lives to HIV. Her work goes on. The shocking reality is that the majority of new infections in America are in young people, and its estimated that 50 percent are not even aware of their status. Our generation is most at risk and needs to be engaged in this conversation. Her work is now our work.
There has also been great progress in these four years: The Affordable Care Act has made health insurance available to hundreds of thousands of individuals living with HIV who were previously denied. We have seen continued advancements in treatment, and a better understanding of the epidemic. In 2011, research proved early treatment not only extends the lives of those living with HIV, but reduces the likelihood of transmission to the uninfected by more than 96 percent. Yet shockingly, that same year, only 37 percent of those living with HIV in the US were on treatment.
There are real solutions at hand, but we need our Congress to act: To once and for all permanently remove the ban on use of federal funds for syringe exchange, to ensure comprehensive sex education for youth, to adequately support housing for those living with HIV, and to invest in the solutions we know work.
At AIDSWatch, we will join more than 400 advocates as they raise their voices and educate Congress on the issues impacting their lives. Advocates joining us represent over 30 states and territories across the U.S, that account for more than 95 percent of the U.S. HIV epidemic, an epidemic that now infects over 1.2 million individuals, 1 in every 300 Americans.
— Read the full joint statement from Naomi Wilding, Laela Wilding, Tarquin Wilding, Quinn Tivey and Eliza Carson, grandchildren of legendary entertainer/activist Elizabeth Taylor, here
Jeremy Kinser
Watch LIVE: SpaceX Falcon 9 Set for Lift-off, Landing Attempt of Reusable Rocket
Watch LIVE: SpaceX Falcon 9 Set for Lift-off, Landing Attempt of Reusable Rocket
The SpaceX rocket Falcon 9 is scheduled for lift-off at 4:10 pm EDT today. It is carrying the Dragon spacecraft with two tons of supplies headed for the International Space Station.
Once again, shortly after the launch SpaceX will attempt to successfully land the first stage of the rocket vertically on a drone barge floating in the Atlantic. Previous attempts have failed (exploding on the barge), so a good landing will be a groundbreaking moment for reusable spacecraft.
Watch, AFTER THE JUMP…
Andy Towle
Pope Francis 'refuses' gay French ambassador to the Vatican
Pope Francis 'refuses' gay French ambassador to the Vatican
Pope Francis has reportedly rejected an openly gay Frenchman as the country’s new ambassador to the Vatican.
www.christiantoday.com/article/pope.francis.refuses.gay.french.ambassador.to.the.vatican/51991.htm
Seminario Arcobaleno LGBT Circolo Ens Torino
Seminario Arcobaleno LGBT Circolo Ens Torino
Nevada's Transphobic Student Bathroom Bill Passes First Assembly Vote
Nevada's Transphobic Student Bathroom Bill Passes First Assembly Vote
A law that would prohibit students from using bathrooms and locker rooms that match their authentic gender has passed its first hurdle.
Mitch Kellaway
10 Things We Need To Do To Close The Wage Gap
10 Things We Need To Do To Close The Wage Gap
It costs more to be a woman, but you likely get paid less.
The gender pay gap isn’t dying out anytime soon (not for about 85 years to be exact). On average, working women earn about 78 percent as men, according to the White House. April 14 is Equal Pay Day, which represents the extra months women would have to work to make up the 22 percent gap and catch up to men’s yearly earnings.
The gender pay gap impacts women across all socioeconomic and racial groups throughout a majority of professional fields. It affects women of color at even greater rates, with Latina women earning just 56 percent of every dollar a white man makes, and black women earning 64 percent. To top it off, the wage gap only grows larger as women age, with women earning 90 percent of what men make until 35, after which they are paid 75–80 percent of what men are paid.
Luckily there are concrete things that can be done to close the wage gap and get us one step closer to achieving gender equality. Here are 10 of them:
1. Raise the federal minimum wage. Immediately.
Women working full time, year-round — across all industries and including all races and ethnicities — earn an average of 78 percent as much as their male counterparts. That leaves a wage gap of 22 cents on the dollar. One thing dragging the average down? The high concentration of women in minimum-wage jobs.
According to the National Women’s Law Center, two-thirds of minimum wage workers are women. Two-thirds of workers in low-wage, tipped occupations are also women. “Raising the minimum wage and the tipped minimum wage are important steps towards fair pay for women — especially women of color,” reads a 2014 NWLC report.
2. Encourage women to develop negotiation skills.
Research shows 57 percent of men negotiate their salaries compared to 7 percent of women. When women do negotiate salaries, they tend to ask for less money. For example, a study conducted in 2010 found that women ask for an average of $7,000 less than men when negotiating.
As the AAUW’s annual report on the gender pay gap states, “Negotiation skills are especially tricky for women because some behaviors, like self-promotion, that work for men might backfire for women.” But negotiating doesn’t have to feel like a risk. “Knowing what your skills are worth, making clear what you bring to the table, emphasizing common goals and maintaining a positive attitude are some negotiation tactics that have been shown to be effective for women,” the AAUW report states. See? No biggie.
3. Do away with impostor syndrome.
Impostor syndrome is the phenomenon “in which people — usually high-achieving professionals — don’t consider themselves qualified for their position and convince themselves that they’ve cheated their way into it,” Ann Friedman wrote in a 2013 article for The Pacific Standard. “It’s hard to negotiate a higher salary, apply for an even more prestigious job, or be a truly standout employee if you’re convinced you don’t belong.”
Women are especially vulnerable to impostor syndrome. A large company’s internal survey found that women “applied for a promotion only when they believed they met 100 percent of the qualifications listed for the job. Men were happy to apply when they thought they could meet 60 percent of the job requirements.” So ladies, next time you or a female friend hesitate to ask for that promotion because you’re just almost certain you deserve it — remind yourselves of the less-qualified dudes who could be asking for the same thing.
4. Encourage women to discuss pay with co-workers.
While you might be ready to ask for that promotion, you most likely don’t know how much your co-workers are getting paid. How do you know how much money to ask for if you don’t have any context? We need to start discussing salaries. Pay transparency can level the playing field for women. “It’s a very basic check on discrimination,” study director at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research Ariane Hegewisch told The Huffington Post in January. “If you don’t know whether you’re paid equally you can’t enforce your right.”
5. Pass additional wage equality legislation.
The 2009 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which protects a woman’s right to take action against pay discrimination, is not enough. Several states have passed the Equal Rights Amendment to ensure that women are treated equally and fairly in all areas of society, including the workforce. But the ERA has not received the ratification required to become law. Currently, the only law that touches on equality for women and men is the right to vote. The ERA would protect every American’s right equally, without regard to sex or gender.
The Notorious R.B.G. (Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg) has been outspoken about the need for the passage of the ERA: “If I could choose an amendment to add to the Constitution, it would be the Equal Rights Amendment,” Ginsburg said in 2014. “I think we have achieved that through legislation, but legislation can be repealed, it can be altered. So I would like my granddaughters, when they pick up the Constitution, to see that notion –- that women and men are persons of equal stature -– I’d like them to see that is a basic principle of our society.” Sounds pretty straightforward to us.
6. Speak out against the wage gap.
Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are a great way to make your voice heard. Even writing to your local newspaper can go a long way. Discussing these issues and educating people on them is part of the path to achieving gender equality.
7. Encourage all genders to help women succeed in the work place.
Men are an integral part in the fight for wage equality. Initiatives like Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In Together and the UN’s HeForShe encourage men to help women to successfully achieve gender equality, which includes toppling the pay gap. The Lean In Together campaign features tips for men to help women at work, including giving women credit when it’s due and “sharing office house work” such as organizing events and training new hires.
8. Pass paid family leave policies.
Recently, there’s been a big push for paid family leave, but only three states have policies in place guaranteeing both parents to the right to take paid time off of work to care for their children. A 2013 study conducted by the Center for American Progress found that women lose a total of $274,044 and men lose a total of $233,716 in lifetime wages and benefits because they leave the workforce early due to caregiving responsibilities.
Women will stay in the workforce longer when they know they can leave for a certain amount of paid time to care for their children. This ensures a longer and higher earning career for women with children, that is traditionally reserved for men.
9. Ensure access to affordable childcare.
When women — especially women making minimum wage — have access to affordable childcare, they’re able to stay in the workforce longer. President Obama discussed how important affordable childcare is to U.S. progress in his 2015 State Of The Union address. “In today’s economy, when having both parents in the workforce is an economic necessity for many families, we need affordable, high-quality childcare more than ever,” he said. “It’s not a nice-to-have — it’s a must-have. So it’s time we stop treating childcare as a side issue, or as a women’s issue, and treat it like the national economic priority that it is for all of us.”
10. And, obviously, smash the patriarchy.
Smash. Smash. Smash.
— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
Sen. Cory Booker Supports Marriage Equality
Sen. Cory Booker Supports Marriage Equality