Senator Jim Kyle files bill to Reverse HB600 the Tennessee Anti Equality Bill

From the Tennessean In Session Inside Tennessee Politics:"Kyle’s bill would repeal the Equal Access to Intrastate Commerce Act, or HB 600, which Gov. Bill Haslam signed into law this week. HB 600 effectively repealed a Metro ordinance passed in April that required city contractors to follow Metro policies that bar discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation."

Kyle’s bill, SB 2121, would put the issue back on the agenda in January. He said he brought the measure after being contacted by officials in Shelby County, which he represents, who were looking into proposing nondiscrimination ordinances like Metro’s.

Kyle also said he wants to keep the pot stirring through the long summer and fall until legislators come back to Nashville.

“It keeps the discussion going,” he said. “It seems like the business community was late to the party. To me, it merits a second look.”

Thank you Senator for listening to your constituents. Yes the Chamber was VERY late in announcing their opposition to HB 600 but now they have we welcome them to the party.

Demand "Psychology Today" apologize for Article Inferring Black Woman are Ugly

Our diversity, our treasure extends way beyond gender and our political will increases tenfold each time we stand-up for ourselves. Please sign the Change.org petition Demanding "Psychology Today" apologize for the article inferring our black sisters are anything other than perfect.

@@@UPDATE 5/30/2011: Success! Psychology Today Apologizes for 'Black Women Less Attractive' Post

From Change.org:

A week ago, the magazine Psychology Today published an article titled "Why Are Black Women Less Physically Attractive Than Other Women?” on its website. Within hours, following widespread outrage and criticism, the post disappeared.

(It can be still be read here at Somethingawful.com)

Colleagues and peers of Satoshi Kanazawa, the article's author, have since analyzed his same data and unanimously (and unsurprisingly) found his conclusions in error.

Yet Psychology Today has remained silent. They have refused to apologize or even explain why they published the article.

Articles like Kanazawa's are more than offensive or spurious—they're deeply harmful because they promote racist and sexist stereotypes as science.

That’s why documentary filmmaker Aishah Simmons and academic Alisa Bierria are leading a petition on Change.org to call on Psychology Today to apologize and take transparent steps to prevent the publication of racist and sexist material in the future. Click here to sign Aishah and Alisa's petition.

Kanazawa's article never would have survived a thorough and responsible editorial process. In fact, the author himself doesn't stand up to review.

Kanazawa has a history of pushing discredited research and is particularly notorious for making meritless claims about race and gender. (He is also known as the mind behind the much-mocked book Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters.)

In an attempt to defend previous publications, Kanazawa wrote, “If what I say is wrong (because it is illogical or lacks credible scientific evidence), then it is my problem. If what I say offends you, it is your problem.”

Well, as Khadijah Britton of Scientific American put it, “Satoshi Kanazawa has a problem.” So does Psychology Today.

Prominent women’s rights advocates, including Gloria Steinem and Beverly Guy Sheftall, former President of the National Women's Studies Association, have already declared their support for the campaign.

Click here here to add your name to theirs:


Thanks for taking action,

Shelby and the Change.org team

Equality Maryland its NOT all about MONEY! Its about the people YOU FORSAKE for it!

It is understandable that this organizations present primary fear is shutting down because of a lack of money.

It is unforgivable the circumstances that lead to this condition and its resulting alienation from the people of Maryland. The people who trusted you explicitly.

Equality Maryland can only blame it self. Equality Maryland sold a pie in the sky agenda to the Gill Foundation and HRC for a promise of marriage equality and a version of a transgender equality bill they thought they could sneak past the transgender community and would be a easy sell to the right extremists and religious 'moderate' democrats.

Equality Maryland got what they wanted, huge cash grants from these entities.

Now Equality Maryland is in a screaming crash dive pieces and parts flying off as it heads towards a inevitable end.

Equality Maryland's writer on the Metro Weekly, spinmeister Yusef Najafin last two articles, Maryland Money Woes and "Equality Maryland Board Explains Vote to "Remove" Executive Director"
has taken Equality Maryland's dirty laundry and hung it out.

But true to Equality Maryland's history of deception and obfuscation the articles make no mention of the core reasons Equality Maryland finds itself without a membership.

ITS ABOUT!

Its not just about money. Its about trust. Stop censoring your facebook page. Its about communication. Newspaper articles need to fairly present the issues from ALL peoples perspectives, the poor transgender peoples as well. I'm not talking about the rich board members and gender queers that populate your faux "transgender" group. Its about designing legislation with the input of all your constituents. Its about pursuing the agreed on agenda with full transparency. Its about not placing your wish for fame above the health and welfare of transgender and gay people.

Equality Maryland has fatally failed the LGBT people of Maryland on all those counts and more.

You have lost all credibility. We have zero faith in you.

In the best interest of the LGBT people of Maryland Equality Maryland needs shut its doors.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam Signs Bill Destroying Trans/Gay Civil Rights Progress

Despite the best effort of grass roots activists like
John Aravosis Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has just signed into law a bill that will roll back and prohibit any additional local protections to transgender and gay people.

One one the main forces behind this effort was the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce. UNBELEIVABLY the Chamber issued this statement AFTER the bill had been signed!

“The Tennessee Chamber supports a standard regulatory environment at the state level as opposed to potentially conflicting local regulations covering employment practices. That principle was the only interest the Chamber had in this bill. Because HB600/SB632 has turned into a debate on diversity and inclusiveness—principles which we support—we are now officially opposing this legislation in its present form.”

Adopted unanimously May 23, 2011

DEB WOOLLEY, PRESIDENT
TENNESSEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

AFTER the bill is signed these cowardly corporations issue this statement condemning this travesty of justice, That's like hanging a man with a soft rope because you are compassionate. We have been hung regardless.

ComCast Tweeted this intending to defend its support of HB 600. But this says much more than intended. Indeed their money did buy the silence and inaction of major gay organizations.

Garden State Equality also a dollar short and a day late sent this email to its members at 3:00pm on the 23rd after the bill had been signed.

Garden State Equality withdraws honors for AT&T, KPMG and Pfizer for anti-LGBT lobbying by the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce,,,Cont.."

EQNJ's last miniute grandstanding self promotional removal of 'legend' honorees did send a challenge to other federation members to do the same but the bill has already passed so....now a long drawn out expensive court challenge. We must win this one.

Corporations Supporting HB600 Promote Transgender Raping Girl in Bathroom Meme

We trans people have seen this video surface again and again whenever the religious extremist right wing attacks us. With nothing to substantiate their lies they always resort to fear mongering.

With the leadership of the Tennessee chamber of Commerce chaired and populated by these corporations this version of this horrific movie has helped in getting HB 600 prohibiting local LGBT protective laws to the Governor for signing.


Incredibly these same companies have instituted inclusive LGBT employment policies and have high index ratings from HRC. They are claiming ignorance about the intent of HB 600.

Sign John Aravosis' open letter to Nissan, FedEx, AT&T, Comcast, DuPont, Pfizer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Caterpillar, KPMG.Whirlpool, Embraer, Alcoa, and United HealthCare's asking they ask the Governor not to sign HB 600.

Memphis Cops order Transgender Woman Kiare Newsom to expose herself on I-40

The ink hasn't even dried since the sentencing of Bridges McRae, the dirty Memphis cop who beat handcuffed transgender woman Duana Johnson than another Memphis cop has violated a transgender women's rights.

According to Kiare Newsom she was verbally harassed after police learned she is transgender "I've never been called so many names like "Punk, Sissy, expletive deleted" The police then ordered her to lift up her blouse and push aside her bra exposing her breasts to interstate traffic.