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#AM_Equality Tip Sheet: May 5, 2016
JUSTICE DEPT SAYS NC VIOLATING CIVIL RIGHTS ACT; COULD COST MILLION$: The U.S. Department of Justice is laying down the law, ruling yesterday that North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory’s discriminatory HB2 law, violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972. In a letter to McCrory, DOJ gives the governor until COB Monday to confirm “that the State will not comply with or implement HB2.” The state risks a lawsuit by the DOJ and loss of $4.5 billion in federal public education funding. McCrory has signalled he may defy the Civil Rights Act. UNC President Margaret Spellings, who also received DOJ’s letter, must now decide whether to break with the flailing governor and chaos he has created — or comply with the Civil Rights Act and protect her students. Still think this is funny, governor? More from The News & Observer.
IF YOU’RE KEEPING TRACK: It’s been 43 days since McCrory, Berger, and Moore got together, rammed HB2 through the state legislature and signed the bill in all of 9 hours without allowing debate. And it’s been 3 weeks today since the same terrible trifecta has failed to respond to an open records request on the bill. HRC and Equality North Carolina are again calling on state leadership to stop hiding the ball and come clean to the public about the motivation behind HB2 and its hasty passage. More from HRC’s blog.
GET IN FORMATION: CLOONEY & QUEEN BEY ADD TO MOMENTUM AGAINST HB2
- George Clooney called on NC’s governor and legislative leaders to fully repeal the state’s discriminatory HB2. In an email message yesterday, Clooney wrote, “…human rights, civil rights and equality must be for all and not just most.”
- Sporting a “Y’all means all” shirt before her Raleigh concert Tuesday night, Beyoncé shared a message of support, raising awareness of HB2 and crediting advocates “committed to being good and carrying on the message of equality.”
OXFORD, ALA., CITY COUNCIL … SOMETIMES IF YOU’RE FIRST, YOU’RE LAST: Oxford, Ala., which recently became the first municipality in the nation to pass a discriminatory law attacking the transgender community, quickly repealed the vile measure Wednesday at a special City Council meeting. Said HRC Alabama State Director Eva Walton Kendrick — one of many opponents filling the room during the 3-2 vote: “Throughout the country elected officials from both sides of the aisle, along with hundreds of business leaders and advocates throughout the country have resoundingly rejected these kinds of proposals, which only seek to demean and marginalize the transgender community.” HRC applauds the council’s decision to repeal the measure. More in the Associated Press, Reuters and Washington Post stories.
THIS SHOULD “HUUUUGELY” TERRIFY YOU: With Donald Trump the presumptive Republican nominee, voters now confront the very terrifying possibility that the celebrity real estate deal-maker could be nominating the next Supreme Court Justice. Trump has vowed to appoint an anti-equality justice and his a rich history of horrible anti-LGBT stances. Given it’s been nearly two months since President Obama nominated Judge Merrick Garland to the U.S. Supreme Court, HRC hosted a call yesterday for LGBT and allied organizations to provide an update on the status of Garland’s nomination, what’s at stake for the LGBT community and ways to advance the nomination — including calling on Senate Republican leadership to #DoYourJob. More from HRC’s blog.
NEXT-GENERATION OF HIV LEADERS: Today, the HRC Foundation and Elton John AIDS Foundation announced its selection of 10 outstanding, young community-based leaders for a nine-month fellowship providing high-level training to elevate their work ending HIV in hard-hit U.S. communities.The HRC HIV 360° initiative is made possible with support from the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Read more about the program, and check out bios and a video of the fellows here and a piece by HRC’s Marvell Terry in The Advocate.
TURNED AWAY. Kelly Trent, a plaintiff in the lawsuit against NC Gov. Pat McCrory over HB2, speaks out about her experience with anti-LGBT discrimination in TIME.
KAPOW! Marvel’s top directors speak out about needing more LGBT superheroes. More from The Huffington Post.
STALL TACTICS. Pittsburgh City Paper asks why the Pennsylvania state legislature hasn’t passed the LGBT Fairness Act yet.
ON THIS DAY IN LGBT HISTORY … On the heels of the Stonewall announcement, two sites in DC make it to the National Register of Historic Places.
READING RAINBOW
The Argentina Independent ponders the fate of the country’s new anti-discrimination law, which is currently be discussed in Congress… Metro Weekly rattles off Ted Cruz’s many anti-LGBT statements… The Huffington Post highlights a soccer tournament being held for LGBT refugees in Paris… and The Advocate breaks down Mississippi’s history of homophobia….
Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to A.M. Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!
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