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    [Note: Great article plus it features our own David Johnson, a professor at USF and author of the “The Lavender Scare: The Cold War Persecution of Gays and Lesbians in the Federal Government.']

  Stunning voices brought together to stand up to bullying. Enjoy and share.    

  In the wake of the hazing murder of Robert Champion, a gay student at Florida A & M University, students and community leaders are calling on the university to adopt a strong anti-discrimination/bullying policy. Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith spoke to FAMU President Ammons and legal counsel for the university in advance of the meeting to call for the policy change. The administration agreed to bring the proposal to the board.

Equality Florida Board Member, Jim Harper, speaks to WTSP Channel 10 in Tampa

Last week Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith was invited by the White House to meet the President and attend his speech at Disney World on increasing Tourism and Jobs.

Today the Orlando City Commission will hold it's first hearing on enacting a domestic partnership registry in the city. The commission meeting is currently underway and the room is packed with supporters wearing red in support of the registry.  Last week the Commission voted unanimously to move the registry forward.  

Words cannot fully express how great this story truly.  Enjoy this excerpt: 

The world united against gender, racial and religious discrimination -- well, for the most part. But now, it's time to overcome another hurdle on inequality affecting millions of LGBT people. And if it's going to have any chance to succeed, removing this level of discrimination is going to take a global effort.

SHOW UP!

Florida businesswoman Amy Mandel has pledged to donate $5 for every person who "likes" Equality Florida's facebook page. Amy will match up to $2500 so we need to get 500 or more people to join.

Exciting news! We just received confirmation from the White House Office of Public Engagement that their LGBT liaison, Gautam Raghavan will join our Telephone Town Hall next Monday, December 5th, 2011.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honors the memory of those murdered because of transphobia, or the fear of transgender and gender non-conforming people, is recognized annually on November 20.

Michael Smith Wins Largo City Commission Race! Great news! Tonight Michael Smith won his historic race to become the first LGBT person to win a seat on the Largo City Commission. Michael defeated a long time incumbent known for her anti-gay beliefs. The victory is sweeter because of the incumbent's history of appealing to prejudice. She led the charge to have the City Manager fired for being transgender. Michael's opponent appealed to homophobia once again, but the tactic backfired. Longtime supporters deserted her and Michael won tonight’s election with 53.97% of the vote. Thank you to all of the Equality Florida members who supported Michael’s campaign. The evening was a clean sweep for all the Equality Florida PAC endorsed candidates. Congratulations are also in order to Steve Kornell, Charles Gerdes and Wengay Newton. Click after the jump to see Equality Florida Action PACs Endorsement of Michael Smith

Great new study out of Ohio shows the impact of homophobia on the economy.  "The perception that there is prejudice against gay and lesbians by conservative groups is strong enough to be picked up in market prices,” - Susane Leguizamon of Tulane University in New Orleans.

President Obama has included gay parents in a proclamation recognizing November as national adoption month.

by David K. Johnson

The anti-gay extremists are going berserk. They've launched an all out attack on Florida Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen who is the first and ,so far, only Republican to co-sponsor a bill that would repeal the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

Florida Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is the first and only Republican to co-sponsor a bill that would repeal the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act.