The final version of the Democratic Party platform released Friday includes a strong embrace of minority rights, with sections focusing on ending systemic racism, reforming the criminal justice system and supporting historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and minority-serving institutions. The platform, which delegates will vote on at the Democratic…
Tag: Lgbt-rights
GOP Ignores Internal Pleas for Inclusion
The Republican Party has decided to continue ignoring passionate pleas from some of its own members to move in a more inclusive direction. The GOP’s platform committee met in Cleveland this week to finalize the party’s official platform in advance of its convention next week. The final draft of that…
EEOC Files First-Ever Sexual Orientation Discrimination Lawsuits
In a historic move, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed its first two lawsuits for discrimination based on an employee’s sexual orientation. In most states, it is still legal for employers to fire workers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity; according to the Human Rights Campaign…
Support Increases for LGBT Rights, Including Those Religiously Affiliated
According to a new survey from the Public Religion Research Institute,religiously affiliated people strongly support same-sex marriage differs greatly from public perception. While those who classify themselves as religiously unaffiliated have the highest number of supporters (79 percent), white mainline Protestants are not far behind: 60 percent said they support…
Army Court Orders Military to Use Female Pronouns for Chelsea Manning
By Michael Nam The imprisoned Chelsea Manning has had some victories lately. The U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals has just ordered the military to stop using male pronouns or the soldier’s former name in reference to Manning. While the court did state it would retain old references as a…
Planet Fitness Stands Firm on Transgender Locker-Room Policy
By Michael Nam A Michigan Planet Fitness gym isn’t backing down from its decision to revoke the membership of a female member after complaints she made about a transgender woman being in the women’s locker room. Yvette Cormier, the former gym member, told WNEM in Michigan, “I was stunned and…
25 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies Sign Brief in Support of Same-Gender Marriage
Same-gender marriage now formally has the backing of much of corporate America. An astounding 379 companies signed an amicus brief that was filed on Thursday urging the Supreme Court to “affirm a uniform principle that all couples share in the right to marry.” The brief makes the business case for…
Gay Ex-Player's Path to MLB's First Inclusion Ambassador
Pro sports is one of many industries that struggle in the D&I space, most having little or no structured diversity programs in place. Of all the pro sports, Major League Baseball is a little ahead of the curve, routinely scoring a B/B+ overall in The Institute for Diversity and Ethics…
Conversion Therapy Is Fraud: N.J. Judge
By Albert Lin In what many are calling a landmark decision, a New Jersey judge has ruled that people who, in advertising conversion-therapy services, describe homosexuality as a disorder that can be cured are committing consumer fraud. It is the first time a United States court has found that homosexuality…
N.J. Congressman: LGBT Rights Are Not Human Rights
By Albert Lin One New Jersey congressman has been rebuked by another for saying that the rights of LGBT people are not human rights. At a Jan. 27 hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations, Republican Congressman Chris Smith, the…