DOMESTIC
National News
compiled by Q-Notes staff
Prez signs onto U.N. declaration
WASHINGTON, D.C.— The Obama
administration has formally endorsed a
United Nations declaration calling for an end
to discrimination and other human rights
abuses based on sexual orientation and gen
der identity. The move is a reversal of the Bush
administration’s refusal to sign the statement,
which made the U.S. the only western nation
not to support the measure when presented by
the U.N. General Assembly in December.
“The United States supports the U.N.’s
statement on human rights, sexual orienta
tion and gender identity and is pleased to
join the other 66 U.N. member states who
have declared their support of the state
ment,” the State Department said in a state
ment. “The United States is an outspoken
defender of human rights and critic of
human rights abuses around the world. As
such, we join with other supporters of this
statement, and we will continue to remind
countries of the importance of respecting
the human rights of all people in all appro
priate international fora.”
LGB poverty is an invisible issue
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The Wilhams
Institute at the University of Cahfornia-Los
Angeles School of Law has issued a first-of-
its-kind report that shows LGB Americans are
as likely, and in some cases more likely, to be
poor than their heterosexual counterparts.
Because the U.S. Census Bureau does not
explicitly ask questions about sexual orienta
tion, LGB adults and families have been invisi
ble in poverty statistics.
“The report highlights a
significant segment of the
poor and low-income pop
ulation that has largely
been ignored,” said M.V. Lee
Badgett, research director at
The Williams Institute and
an author of the study. “The
data clearly undermine the
persistent myth that the gay
community is monolithi-
cally affluent. As a group,
quite the contrary is true.”
The authors of the
study. “Poverty in the
Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual
Community,” suggest that
unique social and pohtical aspects of LGB life
play a role in contributing to higher rates of
poverty in this community, including vulnera
bility to employment discrimination, inability
to marry and higher numbers of uninsured.
Voters uphold anti-bias measures
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — On March 24, vot
ers rejected a proposed amendment to the city
charter that would have repealed existing laws
prohibiting discrimination based on sexual
orientatioi» and gender identity. Amendment
1, which would have repealed ordinances pro
hibiting discrimination based on sexual orien
tation or gender identity, was defeated 58 per
cent to 42 percent.
Gainesville, Fla., Mayor
Pegeen Hanrahan.
Gainesville ordinances have prohibited
discrimination based on sexual orientation
since 1998. Discrimination based on gender
identity has been prohibited since
January 2008. A petition drive last
year placed Amendment 1 on the
ballot.
Gainesville Mayor Pegeen
Hanrahan said, “As Mayor, I am
extremely pleased that Gainesville
voters chose to reaffirm that dis
crimination has no place in our
city. Many thanks to Equality is
Gainesville’s Business and the hun
dreds of tireless volunteers who
represented the true values of
Gainesville. These volunteers
demonstrated the diversity and
expertise within our community,
representing such groups as the
NAACP of Alachua County, the
Human Rights Campaign, the American Civil
Liberties Union of Florida, the University of
Florida Student Senate and others.”
GLSEN at work, part one
NEW YORK, N.Y. — According to a new
Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
(GLSEN) study, transgender youth face
extremely high levels of victimization in
school, even more so than their non-transgen
der LGB peers. At the same time, they are also
more likely to speak out about LGBT issues in
the classroom. The study, “Harsh Realities: The
Experiences of Transgender Youth in Our
Nation’s Schools,” is the first comprehensive
report on transgender students.
The findings showed that nearly nine out
of 10 transgender students experienced verbal
harassment at school in the past year because
of their sexual orientation and gender expres
sion, more than half experienced physical
harassment because of their sexual orienta
tion and gender expression and more than a
quarter experienced physical assault because
of their sexual orientation and gender expres
sion. These levels of victimization were higher
than those faced by the non-transgender LGB •
students who participated in the 2007
National School Climate Survey, GLSEN’s
biennial survey of LGBT students.
GLSEN at work, part two
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In an historic first,
GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard and a
delegation of students and teachers met with
Education Secretary Arne Duncan March 23
to discuss the importance of anti-bullying
efforts to the Administration’s education
reform agenda. Secretary Duncan affirmed a
commitment to make schools safe for every
student, regardless of sexual orientation or
gender identity/expression.
“It was moving to witness these students
and teachers sharing their personal stories of
pain, rejection, resilience and hope with the
nation’s top education official,” Byard said.
“Secretary Duncan showed great compassion
for their experiences, respect for their perse
verance and dedication to identifying effective
responses to school climate issues. 1 am confi
dent that we will see growing engagement
with these issues at the Department of
Education and truly positive change.” >
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APRIL 4.2009