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Dana Rudolph
Dana Rudolph
By Dana Rudolph on June 29, 2010
The immediate replacement for U.S. Senator Robert Byrd will most likely be chosen by the governor, not by a special election—and that is good news for the chances of repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Dana Rudolph on June 17, 2010
A panel of six LGBT activist leaders in April were asked to grade the Obama administration thus far on LGBT issues. Three panelists gave the administration a “D,” two gave it a “B,” and one a “C.” Keen News Service decided to take a look at eight major federal departments and apply a similar grading system.
Posted in A closer look, National Politics, News
By Dana Rudolph on June 11, 2010
When President Obama issued a memorandum extending certain benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees, he noted there are still certain benefits he cannot extend under current law. But the legislation the president and many LGBT organizations are touting as a solution faces one big hurdle that nobody’s talking about.
Posted in A closer look, Congress, National Politics, News
By Dana Rudolph on June 3, 2010
President Barack Obama has for the second time issued a proclamation in honor of Pride Month. Only one other president—Bill Clinton—has ever done so. A comparison of their proclamations suggests there’s been some progress in LGBT civil rights between the two administrations, but also highlights areas of little or no change.
Posted in A closer look, News, Politics, White House
By Dana Rudolph on May 27, 2010
The full Senate on Friday, May 28 unanimously confirmed Laura Duffy as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, making her the second openly lesbian or gay U.S. attorney. Jenny Durkan, the first, was confirmed in September as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington.
Posted in Appointees, Issues, News, News Briefs
By Dana Rudolph on May 20, 2010
There’s a tug-of-war underway in the movement to pass more laws to address the growing problem of bullying, and it centers on whether such laws should “enumerate” bullying that targets LGBT youth.
Posted in Politics, State Politics
By Dana Rudolph on May 9, 2010
For the first time ever, a president’s annual Mother’s Day proclamation has included a specific mention of families that include two mothers.
Posted in News Briefs
By Dana Rudolph on May 6, 2010
New York State’s highest court ruled this week that a non-biological mother has the right to seek custody and visitation of the child she and her ex-civil union partner planned for and created together. But the decision falls short of what many LGBT civil rights activists had hoped for.
Posted in Law, News, State Courts
By Dana Rudolph on April 25, 2010
Posted in Podcast
By Dana Rudolph on April 22, 2010
From the beginning of the Obama administration, the general attitude of the LGBT people was that things would be better for the community than they were under the administration of President George W. Bush. But even from the beginning, there were signs that protections for LGBT youth might not be better and that “safe schools” might not be a priority for the Department of Education (DOE).
Posted in A closer look, National Politics, News, White House
By Dana Rudolph on April 14, 2010
The U.S. Senate yesterday unanimously passed a resolution calling on the Ugandan Parliament to reject a proposed bill that would impose harsh penalties—including life imprisonment and the death penalty—against gay people.
Posted in News Briefs
By Dana Rudolph on April 14, 2010
The Obama administration’s proposal to reform the nation’s educational system includes no specific call for anti-bullying programs in schools, and no mention of protections for students from harassment or discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. This is despite the fact that an openly gay man with considerable experience in combating such bullying heads the Department of Education (DOE) Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
Posted in A closer look, News, Politics, White House
By Dana Rudolph on March 26, 2010
Three U.S. representatives have introduced separate bills in the past week designed to protect LGBT people from discrimination in housing. The flurry of interest comes when more popular LGBT bills are still awaiting critical votes and during an election year fraught with political tugs-of-war.
Posted in Congress, News, Politics
By Dana Rudolph on March 21, 2010
A federal court will hold a hearing Monday in a case filed against a Missouri school district that told a lesbian student she could not attend prom with her girlfriend.
Posted in News Briefs
By Dana Rudolph on March 10, 2010
Same-sex marriage bans may be harmful to the mental health of gay people in those states. That is the conclusion of a new study published in the March issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
Posted in Health, Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Dana Rudolph on January 30, 2010
Star witnesses for both sides in the recent Proposition 8 trial agreed on one thing: Children of same-sex parents benefit from having two parents who are happily married to each other.
Posted in A closer look, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Dana Rudolph on January 26, 2010
Three openly gay members of the U.S. House of Representatives, along with 91 of their colleagues, have sent a letter to President Obama urging him to do everything he can to stop a bill in Uganda that calls for harsh penalties against gays.
Posted in Congress, HIV/AIDS, International, Law, National Politics, News, Politics, White House
By Dana Rudolph on January 25, 2010
The mood among supporters of a bill to allow civil unions in Hawaii is “Imua!”—the Hawaiian word for “Forward!” said State Senate Majority Leader Gary Hooser. The bill passed the state senate Friday, January 22, by a vote of 18 to 7.
Posted in Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, State Politics
By Dana Rudolph on January 9, 2010
A look at how Proposition 8 defenders seek to justify the same-sex marriage ban
What do gay political icon Harvey Milk, anti-gay marriage activist Maggie Gallagher, controversial military contractor Blackwater, and the Walibiri aborigines of Central Australia have in common?
Posted in A closer look, Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Dana Rudolph on January 6, 2010
In a long-running interstate dispute, an “ex-lesbian” in Virginia failed to show up last Friday to transfer custody of her seven-year-old daughter to the woman’s former civil union partner.
Posted in Cases, Law, Lawsuits, News, State Courts
Loud clash over same-sex marriage: Where personal and political meet
White House threatens veto as House omits LGBTs in two bills
House GOP shoot down effort to insert LGBT protections in VAWA
NC approves constitutional ban: 61 to 39
Iowa justices explain why they didn’t campaign to retain seats