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Activists speak about former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington's LGBTQ legacy
by Max Lubbers
LGBTQ+ advocates reflected on former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington's legacy at Center on Halsted Oct. 13, discussing his role in the city's Human Rights Ordinance and outreach to the LGBTQ+ community. A display of 1980s Windy ...
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Rosa Escareno named interim head of Chicago Park District
Former Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) Commissioner Rosa Escareno has been named the interim general superintendent and CEO of the Chicago Park District. In an Oct. 13 statement, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot ...
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President Biden appoints Debra Shore to key EPA position
--From a press release
Washington, DC — Today President Joe Biden appointed former LGBTQ Victory Institute board chair Debra Shore to be the next Region Five Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency — representing six states in the Midwest and ...
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WORLD Japan politics, video games, lesbian tennis player, Mr. Gay World
LGBTQ+-rights activists were hoping Japan would finally allow same-sex marriage if Taro Kono, who has publicly supported same-sex marriage, became the country's next prime minister—but their hopes were dashed. Japan's ...
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Chicago Park CEO resigns amid sexual-harassment scandal
On Oct. 9, Chicago Park District CEO and General Superintendent Michael P. Kelly announced his resignation amid a controversy over sexual harassment and abuse, WGN-TV reported. Kelly released a statement to the public and Board President ...
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Activist Rick Garcia seeks to be MWRD commissioner
Longtime LGBTQ- and human-rights activist Rick Garcia announced he is running for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD), and has asked Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to appoint him to the seat Debra Shore is vacating to ...
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Homophobic comments from N.C. lieutenant governor surface
Controversy is swirling around North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson after video surfaced of what he said at a June event, according to ABC11.com. There's no reason anybody anywhere in America should be telling any child ...
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Toni Preckwinkle addresses security incidents
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle released a statement regarding two recent situations connected with her security detail. "In the past few months, there have been two separate incidents when members of my Executive Detail have ...
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Report: Debra Shore to run EPA's Midwest operations
Debra Shore—a longtime commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and member of the LGBTQ+ community—will be selected to run Midwest operations for the Environmental Protection Agency, according to Politico. ...
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Report: Older LGBTQs lack access to healthcare, financial security, caregiving
--From a press release
Chicago — LGBTQ older adults across Illinois are struggling to get the healthcare, financial security and caregiving support they desperately need, according to a new report from AARP Illinois and SAGE released today. The disparities, outlined ...
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"I can't be silent": Michael O'Connor discusses his longtime activism
By Kayleigh Padar
Years ago, longtime activist Michael O'Connor heard that some Black legislators in Illinois didn't want to support the Marriage Equality Act because they didn't believe Black people would benefit from same-sex marriage. He decided to prove ...
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New Supreme Court session: Religion dominates
First in the spotlight as the U.S. Supreme Court begins its new session Monday (October 4) is the seemingly precarious state of the right to abortion, an issue LGBT groups have long considered to be of ...
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Out state Sen. Mike Simmons aims to 'prioritize people' in economic, healthcare equity fight
Each week, Illinois state Sen. Mike Simmons' constituents pile into his office to share ideas about how to improve their lives. Through conversations with single mothers raising young children in poverty, residents facing displacement and teenagers ...
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WORLD Movie items, tennis survey, German politics, Thai court
Kenya's Film Censorship Board (KFCB) banned I Am Samuel, claiming the documentary—which has a gay protagonist—contravenes Kenyan values, Human Rights Watch noted. In a statement, the KFCB denounced the film ...
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NATIONAL Black AIDS Institute, non-binary person attacked, Rachel Maddow
The board of directors of the Black AIDS Institute (BAI) announced the appointments of Toni Newman as its interim chief executive officer and Dr. Kemal M. Atkins as managing director, a press release noted. In addition, ...
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Chicago announces strategic plan to address gender-based violence, human trafficking
--From a press release
CHICAGO — On Sept. 27, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot launched the City's first-ever citywide strategic plan to address gender-based violence (GBV) and human trafficking. The work to build this plan began in February 2021 when Mayor ...
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Liz Cheney: 'I was wrong' to oppose same-sex marriage
U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney said—in a segment of the CBS show 60 Minutes that aired Sept. 26—she was "wrong" to oppose same-sex marriage when her objection to it caused a public split with her family, including ...
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NATIONAL Danica Roem, 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' abortion appeal, Lambda Legal
Transgender Virginia legislator Danica Roem is facing a conservative marriage-equality opponent and former Trump administration member in her re-election race this November, Yahoo! News noted. Roem, a Democrat, was elected to the House of Delegates in ...
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WORLD Marches, world leaders, Swiss marriage, soccer match
Thousands of people including soldiers and diplomats marched peacefully through the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv in an annual Pride parade despite some opposition to an event called off last year because of the coronavirus pandemic, Reuters ...
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Chicago's holiday cultural and arts events to reopen for in-person
--From a press release
CHICAGO — Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) today announced DCASE fall and holiday programming as Chicago's vital arts scene continues to safely and fully reopen. In-person holiday ...
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Equality Illinois CEO Brian C. Johnson on new book, 'Our Fair Share'
In Equality Illinois CEO Brian C. Johnson's new book, Our Fair Share: How One Small Change Can Create a More Equitable American Economy, he posits that receiving a Citizen Dividend will help all U.S. residents achieve ...
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America250 to host LGBTQ+ Community Conversation Webinar Sept. 23
--From a press release
Washington, D.C. —America250, the nationwide commemoration of America's 250th anniversary in 2026 led by the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, will host its next Community Conversation on Thursday, Sept. 23, at 4 pm ET. Members of the LGBTQ+ ...
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LGBTQ blood donation discrimination assessed, PULSE shootings cited
--From a press release
Chicago, Ill. — Last week, Reps. Mike Quigley (IL-05), Val B. Demings (FL-10), Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12), Adam B. Schiff (CA-28), Barbara Lee (CA-13), and Ritchie Torres (NY-15) received a ...
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Equality Illinois 'deeply troubled' by investigation into pro-LGBTQ teacher
Equality Illinois issued a press release stating it is "deeply troubled" after a DuPage County teacher is being investigated for posts about LGBTQ history and racial justice. The videos, which were reposted to Twitter in early ...
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Chicago Ald. Cappleman attacked
On the night of Sept. 18, Chicago Ald. James Cappleman was attacked in the Uptown area of the city, The Chicago Tribune reported. Cappleman, in charge of the 46th Ward, is one of five members of ...
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WORLD Germany's compensation, Lyra McKee, LGBTQ Afghans, tennis player
Germany has compensated almost 250 people who were prosecuted or investigated under a Nazi-era law criminalizing homosexuality, according to euronews. By September, 317 people had applied for compensation for their ...
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Patrick J. Kennedy to receive award from Trilogy at virtual gala
Chicago-based Trilogy Behavioral Healthcare will present its Partner in Recovery Award to The Kennedy Forum founder, mental-health advocate and former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy as a part of its virtual 50th-anniversary gala on Thursday, Oct. 21. ...
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Polis marriage marks first same-sex wedding of sitting governor
On Sept. 15, Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis wed longtime partner Marlon Reis—marking the first same-sex marriage of a sitting U.S. governor, NPR reported. Polis keeps making history. In 2018, Polis became the first openly gay ...
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Hastert settles sexual-abuse lawsuit
Days before a trial was set to begin, former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert reached a tentative settlement in a hush-money lawsuit filed by a man whose decades-old sexual-abuse allegations led to the politician's downfall six ...
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Now, only five of Chicago's 50 aldermen reject automatic pay raises
Forty-five out of 50 Chicago aldermen have opted to accept a 5.5% pay increase in 2022 that will push the highest paid among them to an annual salary of more than $130,000, according to The Chicago Tribune. ...
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Chicago alderman apologizes for 'offensive words'
Jim Gardiner, alderman of Chicago's 45th Ward, apologized during the Sept. 14 Chicago City Council meeting for his "offensive words" but said he "never acted on any of those rants" in which he appeared to call ...
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Gov. Pritzker signs transformative energy legislation for Illinois
--From a press release
CHICAGO — Delivering on principles previously laid out, Governor JB Pritzker signed landmark legislation into law that puts the state on a path toward 100% clean energy, invests in training a diverse workforce for the jobs ...
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Gavin Newsom wins Calif. recall election
On Sept. 14, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom defeated a GOP-backed effort to remove him from office, media outlets reported. Speaking from Sacramento, Newsom thanked Californians for rejecting the recall effort, according to CNN.com. He also ...
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Catholic theologians urge protections for LGBTQ+ people
More than 750 of the nation's leading Catholic theologians, church leaders, scholars, educators and writers have joined New Ways Ministry in voicing support for nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people, according to a New Ways press release. ...
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'Homophile' organization New Gay Liberation Front launches
The New Gay Liberation Front—which described itself in a press release as a "homophile organization"—has launched. "Homophile" is a term that was used by some gay and lesbian groups in the 1950s. According to the University ...
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NATIONAL Teachers, GLAAD talks HRC, 9/11 items, Dr. Rachel Levine
In North Carolina, a former teacher won a lawsuit against Charlotte Catholic High School and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte after he lost his job following an announcement on Facebook that he planned to marry ...
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WORLD False report, Indian activist dies, fashion exhibit, LGBT Awards
In Spain, a man who claimed eight hooded men carved an anti-gay slur on his butt using a knife in a horrific hate crime later said the act was consensual, according to out.com. According to police ...
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Lightfoot attends 'Parade of Hearts' public-art installation series launch
--From a press release
CHICAGO (September 8, 2021) — The Love, Unity & Values (LUV) Institute, a Chicago non-profit, unveiled a new series of neighborhood art installations Sept. 8 to launch the Parade of Hearts, an initiative to commemorate the ...
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HRC fires its president, Alphonso David
On Sept. 6, the national LGBTQ+ organization the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) fired its president, Alphonso David, for advising now-former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) during his sexual-harassment scandal ...
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Afghan LGBTQs in peril, with little help in sight
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of LGBT Afghan citizens, who dared to take modest steps toward living openly when their country was under the occupation and influence of a more tolerant "western culture," are now literally hiding in ...
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HRC president refuses to resign, despite co-chairs' reported request
Alphonso David, the president of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), has refused to resign in the midst of controversy—even after the organization's co-chairs reportedly requested that he do so. According to NBC New York, David is ...
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LGBTQ+ exhibit removed from Missouri Capitol
Kansas City Sen. Greg Razer, the only openly gay member of the Missouri Senate, demanded an explanation after an exhibit on the LGBTQ+-rights movement in Kansas City was removed from the state Capitol (in Jefferson City) ...
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NATIONAL Calif. bill, lawsuits, Billy Porter, 'Southern LGBTQ Experiences'
The California legislature okayed a bill that would launch a pilot program to better track the gender identity and sexual orientation of victims of fatal violence, Gay City News noted. Under AB 1094, or the Sexual ...
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WORLD Anti-TGNC vote, #VeryGayRaptor, Brazilian governor, Scottish poll
In Australia, the government voted down workplace protections for transgender, non-binary and intersex people, OutInPerth.com reported. The senate was considering the Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work) Amendment ...
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COVID Rev. Jackson's wife out of hospital
Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.'s wife, Jacqueline, was released from the hospital Sept. 3 after being treated for symptoms of COVID-19 along with the minister, NBC Chicago reported. "Our mother is leaving the Northwestern Memorial Hospital and ...
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Pappas reintroduces expanded SERVE Act to guarantee LGBTQ+ veterans VA benefits
--From a press release
Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee and Co-Chair of the Equality Caucus, alongside Reps. Mike Levin (CA-49), Kathleen M. Rice (NY-04) ...
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Ukraine president promises to fight for LGBTQ rights
On Sept. 1, the president of Ukraine said his country will continue to fight anti-LGBTQ discrimination, The Washington Blade reported. "With U.S. support, Ukraine will continue to advance respect for human rights, civil liberties and fundamental ...
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Mayor Harold Washington centennial event looks at his LGBTQ+ legacy
--From a press release
CHICAGO—The LGBTQ legacy of late Chicago Mayor Harold Washington (1922-1987) will be discussed as part of a series of events marking his 100th birthday in 2022. This free LGBTQ event will be Wed., Oct. 13, 6-8 ...
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WORLD WorldPride items, Afghanistan resident, Irish exhibit, Poland
The WorldPride 2021 Human Rights Conference that took place in Copenhagen was the largest in-person LGBTQ rights gathering since the pandemic began, the Los Angeles Blade reported. More than 1,000 LGBTQ activists from around the world ...
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Pritzker announces COVID-19 vaccine requirement for some workers, statewide indoor mask mandate
--From a press release
CHICAGO — As COVID-19 infection and hospitalization rates across the state continue to increase, particularly in downstate communities with the lowest vaccination rates, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and IDPH Director ...
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Chicago announces COVID-19 vaccination requirement for city employees
--From a press release
CHICAGO — Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today announced that, effective Oct. 15, the City of Chicago will require all city employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, joining many other major municipalities and government agencies in ...
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NATIONAL Ann Arbor ban, Buttigieg, NYC settlement, Gloria Allred
Using gay conversion therapy on minors to try to change their sexual orientation or gender identity is now officially banned in Ann Arbor, Michigan, according to MLive.com. "So-called conversion therapy is, of course, an abomination," Mayor ...
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WORLD Trapped in Afghanistan, lesbian pioneer, anti-gay crimes, Valencia's bid
Among the Americans trapped in the suburban areas of Kabul, Afghanistan, under Taliban control was Josie Thomas, 32, a transgender government contractor for the U.S. State Department and former U.S. Air Force Sergeant, The Washington Blade ...
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Biden nominates Emanuel to be Japan ambassador
President Joe Biden is nominating former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to be "ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary [diplomat with full powers]" to Japan, according to a White House press release. Emanuel also "previously served as Chief of ...
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New Simmons-sponsored law gathers data on effect of COVID-19 in LBGTQ+ communities
--From a press release
CHICAGO — A new law sponsored by State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) requires hospitals and state agencies to gather more data in order to better understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has harmed LGBTQIA communities, older adults, ...
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LGBTQ-Inclusive demographic data collection, reporting bill signed by Pritzker
--From an Equality Illinois press release
Legislation signed by Governor Pritzker to expand demographic data collection and reporting by the State of Illinois will help advocates and policymakers recognize and tackle disparities regarding marginalized communities' access ...
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Pritzker signs the Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy Act
--From a press release
On Friday, Governor JB Pritzker signed the Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy Act, which creates age-appropriate learning standards for public schools that decide to teach comprehensive personal health and safety ...
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COVID Cook County institutes mandatory employee vaccination policy
Cook County will implement a mandatory employee vaccination policy, a press release announced. The county wishes "to ensure that members of the public who interact with county employees and our facilities are safe when doing so, ...
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Gov. Pritzker signs legislation expanding immigrant, refugee protections
--From a press release
SPRINGFIELD — Building on efforts to protect immigrant and refugee communities, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed House Bill 709 and House Bill 2790 into law, further cementing Illinois' leadership as the most welcoming state in the ...
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Pritzker signs measures for Illinois service members, including LGBTQ+ individuals
--From a press release
SPRINGFIELD — Joined by legislators, advocates, and Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) Acting Director Terry Prince, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed seven pieces of legislation that aim to improve ...
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WORLD Kazakhstan protest, anti-gay attack, Taiwan wedding, Olympics
More than 100 people protested against an event planned by LGBT activists in Kazakhstan's northwestern city of Aqtobe, RFERL.org reported. The protesters said at the Aug. 8 rally that they would hand a petition to the ...
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Pritzker signs bill that makes hygiene products available to students
Among the measures Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker recently signed was HB 156, which requires school districts to make menstrual hygiene products available, at no cost to students, in each bathroom available to students in grades four ...
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Gov. Pritzker signs legislation to prevent hair discrimination in schools
--From a press release
CHICAGO - On Aug. 13, Gov. JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 817 into law, prohibiting schools from issuing policies on hairstyles historically associated with race or ethnicity. The legislation addresses injustices in dress code polices and ...
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James Hormel, the first LGBTQ U.S. ambassador, dies
James Catherwood Hormel—the first openly gay man to represent the United States as an ambassador—died Aug. 13 at age 88. ...
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National LGBTQ Redistricting Project launched; new census data out
--From a press release
Washington, DC — LGBTQ Victory Fund — the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office — launched a first-of-its-kind national effort to ensure LGBTQ communities ...
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Andrew Cuomo resigns amid allegations
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced he is "stepping aside" from his office, according to CNN.com. After a news conference by his lawyer addressing sexual assault allegations, Cuomo said that he takes "full responsibility for ...
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NATIONAL Biden nominees, San Diego crime, HRC, Fox News contributor
President Joe Biden reappointed out lesbian Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum as a commissioner of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which is an advisory post pertaining to issues of religious freedom, Gay City News reported. ...
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WORLD Ghana's bill, Pride events, Gay Games, race-car driver
Ghanaian lawmakers are facing backlash over a bill before Ghana's parliament that aims to make LGBTQ-rights advocacy illegal, Voice of America reported. Eight lawmakers are sponsoring the bill, which would impose a maximum 10-year prison sentence ...
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HRC president implicated in Cuomo report
The report finding New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo violated the law by sexually harassing as many as 11 women on his staff has ensnared Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Alphonso David, The Washington Blade reported. Although ...
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Feigenholtz expands parental leave options for new parents
--From a press release
SPRINGFIELD — Public school teachers and employees who are about to become new parents will have greater flexibility on how they can use their sick time for parental leave as part of a new law sponsored ...
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EI urges McHenry Co. to reject policy prohibiting Pride flags on county property
--From a press release
Equality Illinois has urged McHenry County Board to reject a proposed policy that would prohibit the Pride flag from being flown on county property. Statement from Mike Ziri, Director of Public Policy at Equality Illinois, the ...
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EI, LGBT Chamber mark approval of LGBTQ-inclusive corporate law
--From a press release
Equality Illinois and the LGBT Chamber of Commerce of Illinois celebrated approval by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker of a legislative measure to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion on corporate boards of directors. State law already requires ...
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Equality Illinois' new deputy director talks goals, position and books
On July 15, Mony Ruiz-Velasco officially started in the new position of Equality Illinois' deputy director. Ruiz-Velasco is an experienced attorney who has worked for immigrants rights for many years, and has even been the legal ...
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Gov. Pritzker issues executive order creating new office of equity
--From a press release
SPRINGFIELD — Building on the administration's ongoing work to advance equity and inclusion, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed an executive order establishing the Office of Equity to promote diversity, equity ...
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Bernie Hansen's gay-rights legacy remembered
Activist Arthur Johnston recalled the late 44th Ward Alderman Bernie Hansen as perhaps "the most unlikely gay-rights alderman." Johnston—one of the activists involved with, among other endeavors, the push for the city's Human Rights Ordinance i ...
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