Blog

VICTORY in LEON COUNTY- By a 5-2 vote, Leon County-home of our state capital- has added a sexual orientation and gender identity inclusive Human Rights Ordinance and added the protections to the county's own personnel policy as well. More than 100 brave and passionate speakers. The culmination of more than a year of work. Way to go team!

From the Miami New Times:

Please join us May 22nd, 7-9PM for a Pool Side Soiree at the new Slade Condominiums in downtown Tampa.

Tune in today to Sirius/XM OutQ w/Michaelangelo Signorelli at 3:30pm (EST) to hear our executive director, Nadine Smith, discuss the latest on the George Rekers /Rentboy scandal. Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum paid Reker $120,000 as his star witness defending Florida's anti-gay adoption ban. McCollum has been scrambling to distance himself but did McCollum mislead the public and reporters when asked about the huge sums the Attorney General's office directed to Rekers and his co-hort Walter Schumm?

Did Bill McCollum's office hide the truth about payments? Demand an Apology from Attorney General McCollum

BREAKING NEWS: Attorney General Bill McCollum's "Expert" Adoption Ban Witness Caught with ProstituteFlorida Top Lawyer Paid $87,000 to Long-Discredited Witnesses in Adoption Case

FL Top Lawyer relied on discredited witness in adoption case (MIAMI) - George Rekers, the "expert" witness hired by Attorney General Bill McCollum to defend Florida's anti-gay adoption ban has been caught with a male prostitute at the Miami airport, according to the Miami New Times.

Equality Florida Board member Jim VanRiper and Steering Committeemember Jeff G. Peters will be among the panelists at a debate tonight on the proposed Leon County Human Rights Ordinance. From the Tallahassee Democrat: Leon County’s proposed human-rights ordinance will be the topic of discussion during The Village Square’s "Take-out Tuesday" forum.

Yesterday, the Florida Senate passed and ugly bill that severely impedes upon womens reproductive rights.

Last night, despite contentious public debate, the Leon County Commission took a second big step and voted 4-3 to move the LGBT inclusive Human Rights Ordinance to a Public Hearing May 11th. About 70 county residents turned out to speak in favor of this critical measure including Jeff G. Peters, a member of the Leon County Human Relations Advisory Committee.

The Leon County Commission voted 4-3 to move the LGBT inclusive Human Rights Ordinance to a Public Hearing May 11th. Thank you to Comm. Thael, Rackleff, Daley and Akinyemi!And thanks to the 70 or so Tallahassee residents who spoke in favor of equality tonight.

A powerful open letter from noted law Professor Tobias Wolfe on the connection between AZ draconian immigration law and LGBT equality. Friends and colleagues -- I have just finished reading through the text of the law that has been enacted in Arizona targeting undocumented immigrants. I have been studying the laws of the United States and working on civil rights issues for fifteen years, but I have never seen a more appalling and dehumanizing statute in present-day America than this measure.

Al Franken asked testifiers at the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee how the nation’s public education system can address bullying targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. And the Minnesota senator announced he’ll be introducing a bill to address the issue of bullying that targets LGBT students. It’s the second time in recent weeks that Senator Franken has spoken out out on this issue.

The Miami Beach Commission has passed a resolution supporting the United American Families Act, which would permit gay life partners from other countries to petition for permanent residency in the United States. Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Gongora asked City Manager Jorge Gonzalez to put the resolution on the April 14 commission agenda. The resolution passed unanimously, Gongora says.

Watch Equality Florida on Tampa Bay's Gay Talk show As I Am. The show airs live every Thursday at noon, and episodes are available for viewing 24/7. Guests this week include: Jack Crepeau of Equality Florida bringing viewers up to speed for our monthly EQFL State of the State segment. Jack will specifically focus on the progress Florida has made toward overturning the ban on adoption by gay and lesbian parents.