Atlanta Police Department Sued Over Gay Bar Raid
November 25, 2009 by Gay Agenda News Team · Leave a Comment
Mark Danak was relaxing at the bar after his weekly choir practice and had just asked the bartender to flip the TV to the Georgia Tech football game when he heard an officer shout “Hit the ground.” He said he spent the next hour with his face on the floor.
“I’m sorry, that was not right,” said Danak, a 38-year-old IT operator. “When rights get violated like this, people need to stand up.”
The lawsuit seeks police documents detailing how often these types of raids are conducted and asks a federal judge to block them. Gerry Weber of the Southern Center for Human Rights said doing so would be a first step in delivering justice to the bar’s patrons.
“It’s not about gay or straight, black or white,” said Weber. “It’s about innocents being treated as criminals.”
Arizona LGBT Workers Sue to Maintain Benefits
November 18, 2009 by James Hipps · Leave a Comment
Yesterday, Gay and Lesbian university and state workers in Arizona filed a suit aimed at overturning a law which takes away their domestic partner benefits.
The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Phoenix, and claims the move to retract domestic partner benefits violates constitutional protections that guarantee equal treatment of all individuals.
Tara Borelli, an attorney with the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund stated:
“These gay and lesbian state workers just want the same thing that workers at the next desk, in the next patrol car, get.”
Borelli also indicated refusing equal benefits for all employees is the same as paying some employees less for the same work.
Tracy Collins, a senior patrol officer with the Department of Public Safety, who is also one of the 10 plaintiffs in the lawsuit, is concerned, because if the change takes effect as scheduled on October 1, 2010 she will lose the benefits that now go to her partner and their children. Collins stated:
“I do the exact same job all of the other officers do for the Arizona Department of Public Safety.”
Collins also noted that her 10-year relationship demonstrated her relationship is just as committed as the relationships of married DPS staffers, adding:
“I do believe that we deserve the same rights as every other officer does with a family.”
The employees are in jeopardy of loosing their partner benefits after the state’s “Christian” Governor, Jan Brewer, who admittedly holds open prayer sessions while determining state law, signed a law that redefines a ‘dependent,’ canceling the rule change made by the state’s former Gov. Janet Napolitano that allowed domestic partners to receive benefits.
Chicago Cubs Gain Openly Gay Owner
November 1, 2009 by James Hipps · Leave a Comment
According to reports, the Chicago Cubs are now the first major-league sports franchise to have an openly gay owner. The Cubs are a National League Major League Baseball team.
According to MLB.com, the Ricketts family were announced as the new owners of the Cubs on October 30th, after they bought the team, the world famous Wrigley Field where they play home games, and a share in Comcast SportsNet Chicago for $845 million.
Among the family members who made the purchase is Laura Ricketts, an out lesbian, which makes her the first out individual to own a professional sports team. Laura lives in Chicago and is a board member of Lambda Legal, the nation’s leading gay & lesbian law group that has been instrumental in fighting for LGBT rights and equality.
In an interview with MarketToMarketLLC.com, Laura Ricketts stated:
“I came out to my family I would say early to mid 30’s. I think for a long time I wasn’t really out to myself growing up in Omaha, Nebraska, to a Catholic conservative family. It took me a while to come out to myself and not long after that I came out to them. I think that it really couldn’t of been a better experience. They were all immediately supportive. … I have been really really fortunate in that regard.”
Laura is joined by her three brothers, Pete, Todd and Tom in the purchase.
The new owners have stated their goal is to have the Cubs win the World Series, something that hasn’t happened since 1908.
Earlier this year, there was a lot of criticism and controversy (story here) in Chitown as the Cubs hometown rivals, the White Sox, had fans that were selling t-shirt which many considered to be homophobic (picture below). Of course now, I guess the joke’s on them!
Lambda Legal Praises Obama’s Inclusion of LGBT’s
October 29, 2009 by James Hipps · 4 Comments
Jenny Durkan is now the new top federal prosecutor in Seattle. She’s also the nation’s first openly gay U.S. attorney.
Earlier this week, during an AP interview, Durkan stated:
“I don’t think I can fully appreciate how important it is to many people to have someone in a role like this who is gay. The more people are able to see people in situations where pretty soon that’s an invisible characteristic, the better it is for the entire community.”
Many gay rights activists say her appointment by President Obama reflects a growing acceptance in the U.S. as well as the attitude of President Obama’s administration. Earlier this month, Obama also nominated a lesbian police sergeant to be the U.S. marshal in Minneapolis, making her the first openly gay U.S. marshal.
On the appointments by the Obama Administration, a Lambda Legal spokesman, Jason Perez Howe said:
“We see it as really sort of a respectful acknowledgment that it is important to have all sorts of people represented in government.”
Lambda Legal is the nation’s leading law organization that promotes equal rights for LGBT citizens.
Lilly Receives Honor from Lambda Legal
September 28, 2009 by Gay Agenda News Team · Leave a Comment
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) received the Corporate Leadership Award from Lambda Legal at their annual benefit dinner on Friday in Indianapolis. Lilly was recognized for their efforts to further civil rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
“The greatest measure of Lilly’s diversity efforts is in our ability to attract and retain exceptional employees who feel comfortable in a culture that supports them being themselves,” said Bob Armitage, senior vice president and general counsel at Lilly, and the executive sponsor of GLEAM, Lilly’s LGBT employee affinity group. “Lilly is honored to accept this award as recognition of our employee efforts and our community outreach.”
GLEAM, which stands for gay and lesbian employees, advocates and more, is an employee affinity group at Lilly established nearly 20 years ago committed to offering a welcome, safe, productive, working environment regardless of one’s sexual orientation.
Employee benefits for unmarried domestic partners, including same-sex partners, have been available at Lilly since 2004. The comprehensive benefits package includes medical and dental insurance, relocation support, company car use, retirement options and all other benefits offered to Lilly’s married employees.
Lilly’s commitment to LGBT issues extends beyond the company walls. The company joined a corporate alliance in opposition of a same-sex marriage ban recently proposed in Indiana. The company also supports numerous LGBT organizations including IndyPride Festival and Parade, Indiana Youth Group (IYG), Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival, Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), and the Anti-Defamation League.
Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is developing a growing portfolio of pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides answers – through medicines and information – for some of the world’s most urgent medical needs. Additional information about Lilly is available at www.lilly.com.
Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.
