While this week brought news that ENDA has been delayed for a few weeks, we didn't let that stop us from bringing you a ton of popular posts about almost every aspect of our community. Here are the best from this week.

Sunday

The sexual politics of a hug Filed by: Cassandra Keenan
The DC Catholic Church's red herring Filed by: Nancy Polikoff

Monday

LGBT Resistance to the Coup in Honduras Filed by: Jessica Hoffmann
Toward a better understanding of age in the gay community Filed by: Alex Blaze

Tuesday

Don't Ask, Don't Tell: "Jess, Bend, Oregon, 2009" Filed by: Jeff Sheng
Needed: A Better Definition of Bigotry Filed by: Patricia Nell Warren

Wednesday

Jorge and Will: Tragedy and Hope Filed by: Kate Kendell
Simon LeVay and the Biology of Sexual Orientation Filed by: Betty Greene Salwak

Thursday

In My Grandmother's Dress Filed by: Father Tony
What will President Obama do about that pesky federal Prop 8 suit? Filed by: Phil Reese

Friday

Irene Vilar's Impossible Motherhood: Testimony of an Abortion Addict Filed by: Paige Schilt
Historic Declaration of Christian Conscience? Filed by: Donna Pandori

I applaud the filing of the Competitive Workforce bill in the Florida House of Representative. House bill 391, filed by Rep. Kelly Skidmore, would add sexual orientation and gender identity to Florida's civil rights statues.

Currently, it is legal to discriminate against someone in employment, housing and public accommodations because that person is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). The bill would add these categories into laws that already protect Floridians based on race, age, disability, sex and religion.

"I am proud to be the sponsor of this very important legislation," said Representative Skidmore, "I look forward to working with Equality Florida and all Floridians who believe that discrimination is wrong and ought to be illegal."

As the Competitive Workforce Bill was being filed, the Tampa City Council voted to add "gender identity and gender expression" to its existing human right ordinance, which already includes sexual orientation protections.

"Even as cities and companies across our state adopt policies banning anti-gay and gender identity-based discrimination, Florida law fails to provide statewide protection to LGBT Floridians against workplace discrimination," said Mallory Wells, Public Policy Director for Equality Florida, "Equality Florida is working with fair-minded legislators to introduce this legislation because no one should lose their job because of who they are."

Organizations and businesses can sign online to support the Competitive Workforce Bill.

The Tampa City Council should be commended for expanding non-discrimination protections to those who live, work and visit the city. Tampa is the latest city in Florida to add "gender identity" to its human rights ordinance that bans discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation.

Today's action comes at the request of the Tampa Human Rights Council led by its Chair, Phil Dinkins. Equality Florida has worked closely with the council in the months leading up to today's vote and assisted with documenting the clear need for such protections.

Equality Florida was born out of the struggle to expand Tampa's non-discrimination protections so they include the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Today's vote, while long overdue, makes it clear that Tampa is a leader in Florida when it comes to protecting its citizens.

One extreme right organization launched an effort to derail today's vote, but Equality Florida members and allied organizations including Pride Tampa Bay and the Hillsborough LGBT Democratic Caucus stepped up and sent 3,096 emails to various Tampa City Council members encouraging them to stand strong in their conviction to protect all citizens. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, BB&T Bank, PepsiCo/FritoLay and other leaders in the business community spoke out debunking wild claims by the opposition by recounting the positive impact inclusive policies have had for their companies.

Continue reading "BREAKING NEWS: Tampa Adds Gender Identity Protections" »

While we stand around, twiddling our thumbs, waiting for the doorman to check his clipboard and open the velvet rope to let ENDA inside the House for markup, we have some extra time to pull out our cellphones and dial that cute Senator playing hard-to-get. There is, by the way, some interesting news on that markup postponement, and more to come, which I will review in my Weekly ENDA Update on Monday. Today's sweetheart is Senator Bill Nelson.

Senator Bill Nelson (the second sitting Congressmember to fly in space), has generally been a supporter of the LGBT community.

But where is he on ENDA? We don't know, because he's said he's undecided. We're at 56 likely yes votes in the Senate. Those last four are a bit of a challenge, though there are 9 possible yes votes according to my calculations. Senator Nelson is one of those possible yes votes.

Please call him today to ask for his support of S1584. Also, please share this info with your social networks by clicking on the "Share" link at the bottom of this post. There, you will see buttons to share this post instantly in less than a second with your Twitter and Facebook crowds. That will help get this message out far and wide.

Facts and contact info after the jump.

Continue reading "Florida's Senator Bill Nelson: ENDA Legislator of the Day" »

Fantastic news from our Equality Florida Broward Gala.

Last Sunday's gathering of Equality Florida activists, donors, elected leaders and volunteers was our biggest event of the year and smashed through all of our previous fundraising records. The event has triggered major headline-grabbing political news as well.

Florida CFO Alex Sink has become Florida's highest ranking official to oppose the anti-gay adoption ban.

Sink told the packed crowd of over 300 Equality Florida members, that family law judges and child welfare experts should make adoption decisions based solely on the best interest of each child.

Continue reading "Alex Sink Becomes Top Florida Official to Oppose Anti-Gay Adoption Ban" »

The House Committee on Education and Labor, which was due to mark up the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) on Wednesday of this week, has announced that it is postponing its markup. A terse statement on the Committee's website states simply that "This markup has been postponed."

I had posted on Wednesday about rumors of a possible slow-down on ENDA. DC insiders said there was no slow-down, and that the bill is "on track." However, it appeared, after comparing statements made when the bill was introduced with later statements, that the House vote, initially thought to be in October or November, was now being discussed in a "December or February" timeframe. That would put the bill up before the Senate during midterm election campaigns, which could make it more difficult to gain support among conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans.

Since the House is not in session next week, the earliest date for markup would be in December. That would make it difficult to obtain a House vote on ENDA before year's end.

Continue reading "BREAKING: ENDA Postponed" »

UPDATED AT THE END

Disturbing news this morning. Window Media--the Publisher of the Washington Blade, the South Florida Blade, the Houston Voice, the Southern Voice, David Atlanta and 411 Magazine--has officially closed its top publications: The Southern Voice, David Atlanta and the Washington Blade.

At publishing time I had not received any confirmation on Houston Voice or The South Florida Blade's closure (both their websites were down once again, most likely due to high traffic), though an update on Fresh Loaf from former Southern Voice Editor Lauren Douglass-Brown confirms that all Window Media publications are affected.

The Blade website has been up and down all morning, presumably because of increased traffic from this story, but their Twitter feed officially confirmed the bad news:

More after the jump.

Continue reading "Washington Blade, Southern Voice closed in Window Media demise" »

While I took a few vacation days this week to travel to NYC, the Editorial Team kept things plugging right along and the great contributor content didn't stop for an instant. These posts really stood out this week:

Sunday

Fellatio in fruit bats Filed by: Gloria Brame Ph.D.
Are you normal? Filed by: Michele O'Mara

Monday

Is Violence Inevitable In Our Fight For Equality? Filed by: Father Tony
Vegas still casts desert mirage of equality Filed by: Cassandra Keenan

Tuesday

About that LGBT boycott of the Obama Campaign, the DNC, and Organizing for America.... Filed by: Alex Blaze
Zenyatta: Why Should We Care About a Horse? Filed by: Patricia Nell Warren

Wednesday

Why I'm So Damn Frightened of You Filed by: Diane Silver
Counterpoint: trans-inclusion is distracting to LGB legislation Filed by: Austen Crowder

Thursday

For marriage victories, we must face and use religion Filed by: Matt Comer
I've signed on to Don't Ask, Don't Give (and you should too) Filed by: Bil Browning

Friday

When Its Not Your Fight Filed by: Antonia D'orsay
Video WH 'held for review': Obama official Melody Barnes' support for marriage equality Filed by: Pam Spaulding

Congregation Etz Chaim, Wilton Manors' only synagogue, proudly presents the world famous, Jewish singer-songwriter Debbie Friedman in a Chanukah Concert on Saturday, December 12, at 8:00 p.m. The c+ncert will be held at Temple Beth Torah, 9101 N.W. 57th Street, in Tamarac.

"Debbie Friedman has created a powerful and euphoric body of work," says the New York Times. For more than three decades, Friedman (www.debbiefriedman.com) has given the world music that is transformative, offering joy and comfort, hope and faith, healing and inspiration. She has released more than 20 albums and has performed in sold out concerts around the world. As a songwriter, she is credited with creating a whole new genre of contemporary, accessible Jewish music. Some of Friedman's Chanukah songs appeared in her album "Light These Lights: Chanukah Songs for the Whole Family." Her latest album is "As You Go On Your Way: Shacharit - The Morning Prayer," published by Farf & Gribz Records.

Tickets to the CEC/Debbie Friedman Chanukah Concert are $65 for the Front Center sections, $50 for the Side Front Sections, and $30 for the Rear Sections. Special $18 Rear Section seats are available for youth sixteen and under. For more information and ticket sales send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Congregation Etz Chaim, 1881 N.E. 26 Street, Suite 100, Wilton Manors, FL 33305 or call (954) 567-8599 ext. 1 starting on October 26, 2009.

The Florida Competitive Workforce Bill adds "sexual orientation and gender identity and expression" to Florida's civil rights law that bans discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations.

End Anti-LGBT Job Discrimination in Florida
Endorse the Florida Competitive Workforce Bill

Even as cities and companies across our state adopt policies banning anti-gay and gender identity-based discrimination, Florida law fails to provide any protection to LGBT Floridians against workplace discrimination.

A new bill called the "Florida Competitive Workforce Bill" would prohibit anti-LGBT discrimination at work, in public accommodations and in housing.

Please sign on as a supporter.
Help rally broad-based, bipartisan support for this bill.

Continue reading "TAKE ACTION: End Anti-LGBT Job Discrimination in Florida" »

This post will stay at the top of the page until midnight. New posts are underneath this one.

Projectors,

I know I was lucky enough to win the NYC Anti-Violence Project's Courage Award last night along with fellow contributor Pam Spaulding (for her own fantastic site, Pam's House Blend), Joe Jervis of Joe.My.God. and Andy Towle from Towleroad. But can you help us to win another award today?

We're only 200 votes shy from winning 1st place as Indiana's Best Blog. Think about that for a second. Indiana blog. When you think of Indiana, do you think LGBT issues? My home state didn't even have a hate crimes law until the federal government signed it into law!!

We're in 7th place currently and voting ends at midnight. Over 12.5k visitors came to Bilerico Project yesterday alone. Imagine how much we could cream the competition if everyone who visited today voted! What a landslide that would be for an LGBT blog in a Midwestern non-gay friendly state.

You can only vote once and voting ends tonight at midnight Eastern. Help us pull out the win! Please!

I caught up with GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios on Saturday night at a "red carpet gala" in Fort Lauderdale. Jarrett has been with GLAAD for only two months but hasn't exactly had much time to rest. I'll tell you what Jarrett had to say, show you the fabulous waterfront mansion where the gala took place and share some pics of local gay glitterati. All after the break.

Continue reading "GLAAD's Jarrett Barrios On Washington, Maine and Our Sinful Catholic Bishops" »