Author Archives: Lisa Keen

Senate confirms gay man for 9th Circuit

The U.S. Senate, on a strictly partisan vote, confirmed openly gay prosecutor Patrick Bumatay to serve on the nation's largest federal appeals bench.

Senator Harris withdraws from Democratic field

U.S. Senator Kamala Harris had promised to create a position for a "Chief Advocate for LGBTQ+ Affairs," but she announced Tuesday that she has "suspended" her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Buttigieg makes historic surge to top in Iowa polling

Openly gay presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg is nine points ahead in polling in Iowa for the Democratic nomination --a 16-point surge since September.

HHS rule: ‘quintessentially arbitrary and capricious’

A federal judge in New York on Wednesday struck "in full" a rule adopted by the Trump administration in May that would have given wide latitude to health care workers to refuse treatment based on "religious and moral beliefs."

Majority of LGBT candidates prevail in Tuesday’s elections

More than 100 LGBT candidates were on the ballot Tuesday and 75 percent of them --mostly Democrats-- won, joining a "blue wave" in several states.

HHS reverses ‘critical protections’ in health care

The Trump administration announced November 1 that it will immediately stop enforcing non-discrimination protections for LGBT people in health care and seek a change in regulations to formalize that policy.

Katie Hill: ‘I am leaving’ but ‘the fight goes on’

U.S. Rep. Katie Hill revealed in a farewell address Thursday that she has received thousands of "vile, threatening emails, texts, and calls that make me fear for my life and the lives of people I care about.”

Two judicial nominees: one gay, one called a ‘bigot’

The confirmation hearing of openly gay prosecutor Patrick Bumatay was overshadowed this week by intense scrutiny of allegations that another Trump nominee harbors hostility towards LGBT people.

Katie Hill resigns, citing fear of continued ‘brutality’

U.S. Rep. Katie Hill, one of eight openly LGBT members of the U.S. House and part of Speaker Pelosi's leadership team, announced Sunday evening she will resign her office. Hill said she was concerned her estranged husband and "hateful political

Katie Hill hit with allegations, ethics investigation

Openly bisexual U.S. Rep. Katie Hill was swamped with media attention this week when a conservative website published a photo of her naked with a female campaign staffer. Hill denied a second allegation that she had a relationship with a