According to this New York Times article, same-sex couples who identify as married are similar to straight spouses in terms of age and income, and nearly one-third of them are raising children, according to Census data released Monday that provides a demographic snapshot of gay families in America.
The study released by a think tank based at UCLA also found that Utah and Wyoming were among the states with the highest percentages of gay spouses in 2008, despite being heavily conservative states with no laws providing legal recognition of gay relationships.
The data from the annual American Community Survey showed that nearly 150,000 same-sex couples in the U.S., or more than one in four, referred to one another as ''husband'' or ''wife,'' although UCLA researchers estimate that no more than 32,000 of the couples were legally married.
The couples had an average age of 52 and household incomes of $91,558, while 31 percent were raising children. That compares with an average age of 50, household income of $95,075 and 43 percent raising children for married heterosexual couples.
''It's intrinsically interesting that same-sex couples who use the term spouses look like opposite-sex married couples even with a characteristic like children,'' said Gary Gates, the UCLA demographer who conducted the analysis. ''Most proponents of traditional marriage will say that when you allow these couples to marry, you are going to change the fundamental nature of marriage by decoupling it from procreation. Clearly, in the minds of same-sex couples who are marrying or think of themselves as married, you are not decoupling child-rearing from marriage.''
Gates said the report is the first to reliably compare same-sex couples who identify as married with gays who say they're in unmarried partnerships and with married opposite-sex couples.
To continue reading this article, click here.
Friday, November 6, 2009
ENDA Updates
Yesterday, President Obama said that he fully supports an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)!
According to this article, the Obama Administration Thursday endorsed full-scale protections for gay and transgender workers from job discrimination, giving a major boost to legislation written by Sen. Jeff Merkley that is based on similar protections offered in Oregon.
"No American should be denied a job or the opportunity to earn promotions, pay raises and other benefits of employment because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identify, which have no bearing on work performance,'' Thomas Perez, assistant attorney general for civil rights told a Senate panel.
"No one should be fired because he or she is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. Period,'' Perez told the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. He added: ``This is a top legislative priority for the Obama administration.''
The bill offered by Merkley is the latest iteration of a legislation originally offered in 1994 by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy. Merkley's bill is largely patterned after one he helped pass in Oregon in 2007 that provides protections against job discrimination.
It would prohibit employers, employment agencies and labor organizations from firing, refusing to hire, or discriminating against those employed or seeking employment, on the basis of their perceived or actual sexual orientation or gender identity. Such protections are already in place prohibiting discrimination based on race, religion, gender, national origin, age and disability.
In an op-ed yesterday, Jaime Grant, Policy Institute Director at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, said,
"So as unemployment rates continue to climb, workplace fairness has a special resonance among Americans struggling to keep their homes and their dignity. While this sense of vulnerability is new to many, it is not for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, many of whom have absolutely no protection from discrimination and can be fired from their jobs arbitrarily, on the basis of sheer bias rather than work performance. Jobs and workplace fairness are critical to our country’s future, and people should not be denied their livelihoods because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. As the nation’s political leaders consider how to get America back on solid economic footing and its people back to work, the passage and enactment of ENDA must be part of that solution.
According to this article, the Obama Administration Thursday endorsed full-scale protections for gay and transgender workers from job discrimination, giving a major boost to legislation written by Sen. Jeff Merkley that is based on similar protections offered in Oregon.
"No American should be denied a job or the opportunity to earn promotions, pay raises and other benefits of employment because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identify, which have no bearing on work performance,'' Thomas Perez, assistant attorney general for civil rights told a Senate panel.
"No one should be fired because he or she is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. Period,'' Perez told the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. He added: ``This is a top legislative priority for the Obama administration.''
The bill offered by Merkley is the latest iteration of a legislation originally offered in 1994 by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy. Merkley's bill is largely patterned after one he helped pass in Oregon in 2007 that provides protections against job discrimination.
It would prohibit employers, employment agencies and labor organizations from firing, refusing to hire, or discriminating against those employed or seeking employment, on the basis of their perceived or actual sexual orientation or gender identity. Such protections are already in place prohibiting discrimination based on race, religion, gender, national origin, age and disability.
In an op-ed yesterday, Jaime Grant, Policy Institute Director at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, said,
"So as unemployment rates continue to climb, workplace fairness has a special resonance among Americans struggling to keep their homes and their dignity. While this sense of vulnerability is new to many, it is not for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, many of whom have absolutely no protection from discrimination and can be fired from their jobs arbitrarily, on the basis of sheer bias rather than work performance. Jobs and workplace fairness are critical to our country’s future, and people should not be denied their livelihoods because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. As the nation’s political leaders consider how to get America back on solid economic footing and its people back to work, the passage and enactment of ENDA must be part of that solution.
Mitchell Gold Speaks at Rocky Mount, NC PFLAG event
Rose Marie Walston stood at the podium at the Nash Arts Center Monday night and said she was "coming out."
But it wasn't the typical revelation to others that she is gay.
It was a mother. A mother who did not know her son was gay until he overdosed on drugs six years ago.
"It's hard for me to stand up here," she said. "It has taken me six and a half years to get to this place. I live with the pain every day of my son. It's got to stop and this is where I'm starting."
Walston, originally from Wilson, lost her son in 2003. He was 36.
Mitchell Gold, author of "Crisis: 40 stories revealing the personal, social and religious pain and trauma of growing up gay in America," asked Walston to share her story during his visit to Nashville. The Rocky Mount branch of PFLAG invited Gold to speak. Close to 130 people attended the event.
The New Jersey native, who moved to Hickory 22 years ago, learned many teens struggled in small-town America with their sexual identity. As a young man, he was gripped with fear thinking that his parents and brother would reject him. He was also afraid at school, wasn't sure if he would ever have a successful career and didn't know if society would accept him.
"I don't remember a happy day when I was in school or in my college days," Gold said. "I remember so many nights going to bed thinking about killing myself because I didn't want to live this kind of life that has no future in this society."
Gold finally told his father and was relieved his father only wanted him happy. Through therapy he learned how to accept his identity and love himself.
He discussed his interaction with many politicians who oppose gay marriage or other human rights for people who are not heterosexual.
"I've had an understanding of how religious beliefs can be used to hurt or harm other people but I also have an understanding of how religious beliefs can be used to welcome and love and care about people," he said.
Gold is the founder of Faith in America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending religion-based prejudice. He is best known as a leader and trendsetter in the furniture industry.
For the full article in The Wilson Times, click here.
But it wasn't the typical revelation to others that she is gay.
It was a mother. A mother who did not know her son was gay until he overdosed on drugs six years ago.
"It's hard for me to stand up here," she said. "It has taken me six and a half years to get to this place. I live with the pain every day of my son. It's got to stop and this is where I'm starting."
Walston, originally from Wilson, lost her son in 2003. He was 36.
Mitchell Gold, author of "Crisis: 40 stories revealing the personal, social and religious pain and trauma of growing up gay in America," asked Walston to share her story during his visit to Nashville. The Rocky Mount branch of PFLAG invited Gold to speak. Close to 130 people attended the event.
The New Jersey native, who moved to Hickory 22 years ago, learned many teens struggled in small-town America with their sexual identity. As a young man, he was gripped with fear thinking that his parents and brother would reject him. He was also afraid at school, wasn't sure if he would ever have a successful career and didn't know if society would accept him.
"I don't remember a happy day when I was in school or in my college days," Gold said. "I remember so many nights going to bed thinking about killing myself because I didn't want to live this kind of life that has no future in this society."
Gold finally told his father and was relieved his father only wanted him happy. Through therapy he learned how to accept his identity and love himself.
He discussed his interaction with many politicians who oppose gay marriage or other human rights for people who are not heterosexual.
"I've had an understanding of how religious beliefs can be used to hurt or harm other people but I also have an understanding of how religious beliefs can be used to welcome and love and care about people," he said.
Gold is the founder of Faith in America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending religion-based prejudice. He is best known as a leader and trendsetter in the furniture industry.
For the full article in The Wilson Times, click here.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Demand Workplace Equality; Tell Congress To Pass The Employment Non-Discrimination Act!
Right now, legislators in the Senate are holding a hearing on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in a hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Watch the hearing live online right now.
This critical legislation would fill a significant gap in employment law, adding protection for American workers from discrimination by employers on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The momentum for passing an inclusive non-discrimination bill has been building, and now Congress needs to hear from the American people that ENDA is necessary and long overdue.
The time for action is now. Without strong support from Americans across all demographics, ENDA could continue to languish in Congress, as it has since 1994. Every day that ENDA is not law, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are at risk for losing their jobs based on something that has nothing to do with their job performance. Right now, Congress must hear from every one of us!
Tell Congress to get their act together. Currently, only twelve states, the District of Columbia, and about 100 localities have non-discrimination protections that protect LGBT workers. Many U.S. corporations and small businesses alike already have workplace non-discrimination policies in place and support ENDA.
Stand up for fairness. No American who wants to work should be denied the opportunity based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBT employees work just as hard and contribute just as much as other workers. Discrimination against LGBT Americans isn’t right and we can help put an end to it.
Equality is up to you. Our legislators must feel the pressure from their constituents to act quickly and send ENDA to the President’s desk, where it will become law. Contact your Representative and Senators to let them know that you support ENDA and you want them to support it, too. President Obama and ENDA’s co-sponsors have demonstrated that workplace fairness is a priority for them. Make sure that your elected officials know that it’s a priority for you, too.
This critical legislation would fill a significant gap in employment law, adding protection for American workers from discrimination by employers on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The momentum for passing an inclusive non-discrimination bill has been building, and now Congress needs to hear from the American people that ENDA is necessary and long overdue.
The time for action is now. Without strong support from Americans across all demographics, ENDA could continue to languish in Congress, as it has since 1994. Every day that ENDA is not law, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are at risk for losing their jobs based on something that has nothing to do with their job performance. Right now, Congress must hear from every one of us!
Tell Congress to get their act together. Currently, only twelve states, the District of Columbia, and about 100 localities have non-discrimination protections that protect LGBT workers. Many U.S. corporations and small businesses alike already have workplace non-discrimination policies in place and support ENDA.
Stand up for fairness. No American who wants to work should be denied the opportunity based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBT employees work just as hard and contribute just as much as other workers. Discrimination against LGBT Americans isn’t right and we can help put an end to it.
Equality is up to you. Our legislators must feel the pressure from their constituents to act quickly and send ENDA to the President’s desk, where it will become law. Contact your Representative and Senators to let them know that you support ENDA and you want them to support it, too. President Obama and ENDA’s co-sponsors have demonstrated that workplace fairness is a priority for them. Make sure that your elected officials know that it’s a priority for you, too.
WI Supreme Court Upholds Domestic Partner Benefits!
From our friends at Fair Wisconsin:
Lambda Legal and Fair Wisconsin applaud the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision to reject a lawsuit brought by Wisconsin Family Action, an antigay group attempting to strip away newly enacted domestic partnership protections for same-sex couples and their families.
“We are pleased that the Court has rejected this challenge to an important law that was validly enacted to protect Wisconsin families,” said Christopher Clark, Senior Staff Attorney in Lambda Legal’s Midwest Regional Office based in Chicago. “Because of today’s ruling, Wisconsin’s same-sex couples and their families who depend on domestic partnership protections can take care of each other in times of illness and crisis. Even with the discriminatory amendment excluding same-sex couples from marriage, the Wisconsin Constitution does not prevent enactment of laws that offer basic decency and security for couples.”
Fair Wisconsin, the statewide LGBT advocacy group, along with national and regional allies, recently helped enact these important domestic partnership protections for same-sex couples. Fair Wisconsin, vigorous opponents of the 2006 amendment banning marriage equality and civil unions, is defending the new domestic partnership law. Lambda Legal filed to intervene in the lawsuit on behalf of Fair Wisconsin and its members to protect the few but fundamental protections granted to same-sex couples through the domestic partnership law. After reviewing the case, Wisconsin Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit.
“We are elated with this decision from the State Supreme Court,” says Executive Director Katie Belanger. “Over 15,000 same-sex couples in our state need the basic protections domestic partnerships provide.”
Lambda Legal and Fair Wisconsin applaud the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision to reject a lawsuit brought by Wisconsin Family Action, an antigay group attempting to strip away newly enacted domestic partnership protections for same-sex couples and their families.
“We are pleased that the Court has rejected this challenge to an important law that was validly enacted to protect Wisconsin families,” said Christopher Clark, Senior Staff Attorney in Lambda Legal’s Midwest Regional Office based in Chicago. “Because of today’s ruling, Wisconsin’s same-sex couples and their families who depend on domestic partnership protections can take care of each other in times of illness and crisis. Even with the discriminatory amendment excluding same-sex couples from marriage, the Wisconsin Constitution does not prevent enactment of laws that offer basic decency and security for couples.”
Fair Wisconsin, the statewide LGBT advocacy group, along with national and regional allies, recently helped enact these important domestic partnership protections for same-sex couples. Fair Wisconsin, vigorous opponents of the 2006 amendment banning marriage equality and civil unions, is defending the new domestic partnership law. Lambda Legal filed to intervene in the lawsuit on behalf of Fair Wisconsin and its members to protect the few but fundamental protections granted to same-sex couples through the domestic partnership law. After reviewing the case, Wisconsin Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit.
“We are elated with this decision from the State Supreme Court,” says Executive Director Katie Belanger. “Over 15,000 same-sex couples in our state need the basic protections domestic partnerships provide.”
Lambda Legal Files Complaint Against Philadelphia Youth Detention Facility for Tormenting Transgender Girl
Lambda Legal has filed a complaint with the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations (PCHR) against the City of Philadelphia and the Youth Study Center (YSC) among others on behalf of a 17-year-old transgender girl who was physically attacked by other residents and verbally abused by staff every day for almost a year and a half.
"Youth Study Center violated Philadelphia's Fair Practices Ordinance when their staff discriminated against our client for being transgender," said Flor Bermudez, Youth in Out-of-Home Care attorney for Lambda Legal. "This city facility was supposed to protect her but instead Youth Study Center staff failed to respect her gender identity, verbally abused her, let residents physically attack her and forced her to live in fear."
The girl, who has asked to be unnamed for safety reasons, has been in the foster care system since she was eleven. In February 2008, a Family Court Judge ordered Department of Human Services to provide her with all appropriate medical treatment for Gender Identity Disorder (GID), including hormone therapy and mandated that her female gender identity be respected. However, YSC staff and administrators failed to treat her in accordance with her female gender identity. They refused to refer to her by her preferred female name and to use female pronouns. YSC staff also refused her access to clothing and grooming options that matched her gender identity and reprimanded her for acting in a feminine manner. When she asked to be referred to by her preferred female name, YSC staff told her: "You ain’t no fucking female, you are a dude. . . Till you get your dick cut off, I’m not going to call you [by your preferred female name.]"
In addition, YSC staff subjected Lambda Legal's client to ridicule and cruel and degrading treatment and allowed abuse by residents on a daily basis. She endured verbal harassment, including slurs such as: "You're a faggot," "Wanna-be-girl," "You are not a girl," and "You will never be a girl." On several occasions, the verbal harassment escalated to physical attacks.
The complaint filed by Lambda Legal to the PCHR claims that the YSC, operated by DHS, violated the Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance because she was harassed and discriminated against on the basis of her actual and/or perceived gender identity, sexual orientation, sex, and disability.
"Even though I asked the administration and staff at the Youth Study Center on multiple occasions to stop the harassment, to call me by the right name, to let me wear clothes that match who I am, and to allow me to sleep in a unit where I would feel safe, I continued to be degraded by staff and residents," said the 17-year-old girl. "Nobody, including sexual minorities, should have to experience the physical and emotional abuse that I encountered there."
"Youth Study Center violated Philadelphia's Fair Practices Ordinance when their staff discriminated against our client for being transgender," said Flor Bermudez, Youth in Out-of-Home Care attorney for Lambda Legal. "This city facility was supposed to protect her but instead Youth Study Center staff failed to respect her gender identity, verbally abused her, let residents physically attack her and forced her to live in fear."
The girl, who has asked to be unnamed for safety reasons, has been in the foster care system since she was eleven. In February 2008, a Family Court Judge ordered Department of Human Services to provide her with all appropriate medical treatment for Gender Identity Disorder (GID), including hormone therapy and mandated that her female gender identity be respected. However, YSC staff and administrators failed to treat her in accordance with her female gender identity. They refused to refer to her by her preferred female name and to use female pronouns. YSC staff also refused her access to clothing and grooming options that matched her gender identity and reprimanded her for acting in a feminine manner. When she asked to be referred to by her preferred female name, YSC staff told her: "You ain’t no fucking female, you are a dude. . . Till you get your dick cut off, I’m not going to call you [by your preferred female name.]"
In addition, YSC staff subjected Lambda Legal's client to ridicule and cruel and degrading treatment and allowed abuse by residents on a daily basis. She endured verbal harassment, including slurs such as: "You're a faggot," "Wanna-be-girl," "You are not a girl," and "You will never be a girl." On several occasions, the verbal harassment escalated to physical attacks.
The complaint filed by Lambda Legal to the PCHR claims that the YSC, operated by DHS, violated the Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance because she was harassed and discriminated against on the basis of her actual and/or perceived gender identity, sexual orientation, sex, and disability.
"Even though I asked the administration and staff at the Youth Study Center on multiple occasions to stop the harassment, to call me by the right name, to let me wear clothes that match who I am, and to allow me to sleep in a unit where I would feel safe, I continued to be degraded by staff and residents," said the 17-year-old girl. "Nobody, including sexual minorities, should have to experience the physical and emotional abuse that I encountered there."
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
WI Supreme Court Arguments on Marriage Equality - A PFLAG RD's story
Our guest post today comes to us from Kay Heggestad, regional director for the Great Plains region and past president of the Madison, WI chapter.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court heard oral arguments in McConkey v. Van Hollen, a case regarding the legality of Wisconsin’s constitutional amendment which states that only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state AND a legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized in this state.
Wisconsin statute states that two different ideas being placed in the same amendment. Lester Pines, the attorney representing Mr. Bill McConkey, argued that the two statements of the amendment were different and thus Wisconsin voters might have voted "yes" to the ban on same sex marriage but might have voted "no" on the ban against allowing legal rights that might be similar to marriage, e.g. civil unions or domestic partnerships. Mr. Bill McConkey, is a professor residing in Oshkosh professor and he filed the lawsuit in 2007.
Several members of PFLAG attended the hearing. One of the younger attendees tried to hold up a small sign saying, "Gay Marriage Now", but was not allowed to display it. The proceedings lasted about 90 minutes with the justices asking pertinent questions. Click here to watch the hearing. The justices will deliberate and hand down a decision in a future time, most likely in the spring of 2010. If they decide in favor of Mr. McConkey, then the amendment will be struck down. Same sex marriage would still not be legal in Wisconsin but the door would be open for legislators to introduce legislation that will allow same sex couples to marry.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court heard oral arguments in McConkey v. Van Hollen, a case regarding the legality of Wisconsin’s constitutional amendment which states that only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state AND a legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized in this state.
Wisconsin statute states that two different ideas being placed in the same amendment. Lester Pines, the attorney representing Mr. Bill McConkey, argued that the two statements of the amendment were different and thus Wisconsin voters might have voted "yes" to the ban on same sex marriage but might have voted "no" on the ban against allowing legal rights that might be similar to marriage, e.g. civil unions or domestic partnerships. Mr. Bill McConkey, is a professor residing in Oshkosh professor and he filed the lawsuit in 2007.
Several members of PFLAG attended the hearing. One of the younger attendees tried to hold up a small sign saying, "Gay Marriage Now", but was not allowed to display it. The proceedings lasted about 90 minutes with the justices asking pertinent questions. Click here to watch the hearing. The justices will deliberate and hand down a decision in a future time, most likely in the spring of 2010. If they decide in favor of Mr. McConkey, then the amendment will be struck down. Same sex marriage would still not be legal in Wisconsin but the door would be open for legislators to introduce legislation that will allow same sex couples to marry.
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